Mythology and Folklore (Engl 206) Sir. Jaime M.

Forbes

Agbay, Noralyn G. II-ELLA 02.17.2017

Reader’s Response #7: Demeter

The next greatest love of all is a mother’s love. Next to His is the parents’ love for their

children as suppose to be. For the many, yes it is but for some no it is not. Lucky are those who

have that love and pity to those who have none. Howbeit, too much of everything is not good,

even if it is love.

Demeter, in her terrible grief of losing her only child, withheld her gifts from earth and

turned it into a frozen desert. The green and flowering land was ice bound and lifeless because

Persephone had disappeared. Out of love and longing for her missing daughter she did that. A

loving mother could turn herself to a frightful monster if it was for her children. Although some

might say that it was not right to implicate others but a mother’s heart would do anything for her

child even if it hurts others. I should know, I remembered an instance when I angrily fired the

nanny of my eldest daughter because my daughter fell from bed and got a lump on her forehead.

That happened when the nanny was actually there in the room keeping an eye on my daughter,

but still it happened. That very moment without asking her why I sent her out of our house.

That was her only job, to look after my child, who at that time was only 8 months old. If she was

really on guard of my daughter that would not happened and to me no valid reason could

excused her from my anger that time. After that my father talked to me and said that I should

have not done that simply because it was an accident and no one wanted that to happen. Besides,

my daughter was at her frolicsome age and so things like that might really happened.

Unreasonable it might be, but to me, I did not care at all. Too much love I guess. Well, I also

pondered on it.
 Years passed and I realized, even love for my children should be balanced. And so what

Demeter did—“Nothing grew; no seed sprang up…. It seemed the whole race of men would die

of famine.” She had caused dreadful and cruel things for mankind still I commiserated her act

and could not blame her. Even though I knew that it was not right to implicate others specially

those who were innocent. The feelings would be very hard to control specially for a mother

whose child was at stake. Thus, too much love is not good. It may blind us, even if it is the next

greatest love of all—a mother’s love.