Scylla & Charybdis.
Being “between Scylla and Charybdis”—the original rock and a hard place—has come to mean being stuck between two equally hazardous alternatives… This is not the time to be imaginative or clever…. This is the time to stay on task, goal in mind, with pride and ego stowed away. Getting through counts as a win.
~ Michael Goldberg*
lent, week 6
I shared with you a few weeks ago that we recently went under contract (once again) to sell our house. We had a solid price agreement, and we were encouraged. But several days ago, all that was in jeopardy and it looked like the buyers would walk unless we paid $50k for repairs. Do you ever feel like you’re a ping pong ball being batted back and forth between paddles?
It’s not fun, and I’m sure you’ve had your turn at it. Everything we believe—about God’s care and commitment to us, about whether we’re blessed or cursed—comes into question. Let’s be real: For at least a little while, it’s hard to trust that, as Saint Julian declared, “All shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.” In moments like this, we are between Scylla and Charybdis!
After Odysseus navigates a scary course past the Sirens, his next test is to squeeze through a narrow strait. On one side is a six-headed monster called Scylla; on the other is an underwater monster (Charybdis) who generates a devastating whirlpool three times a day. The challenge required of Odysseus is to sail between the two. What could go wrong?!
Remember Circe? Once she is dis-enchanted on the island of Aeaea, Circe told Odysseus that he will inevitably lose six men in this passage—one to each of Scylla’s heads—but that he must accept this loss if he wants to survive the passage. Odysseus is incensed; he is a fighter after all! Why should he accept the price of six men? There must be another way!
Alas, there are times in our Long Journey Home when losses are unavoidable, and resistance only multiplies loss. This is one of those times. The low side of the Enneagram Three energy asserts that perception is everything, and that we must avoid the appearance of weakness at all cost. Fight, feint, and at least feign victory. In this scenario, such tactics would be fatal. Fortunately, the high side of the Three is the willingness to accept necessary losses in order to accomplish the mission.
In the end, we had to pay our buyers $25k in order to navigate our passage. And who likes to give up that kind of bundle? But when you are facing the strait between Scylla and Charybdis, this is the smart play; to fight back is to merely invite more loss. And this is a tough lesson to learn on the journey, especially if you’re a fighter by nature like Odysseus. It’s the cost of doing business of life. As much as it galls Odysseus, he rallies and passes the test. Getting through counts as a win.
growing your soul
Sometimes being a fighter is your salvation; at other times it’s your doom. Do you know when to go to battle and when to restrain yourself? How do you know?
serving our world
What losses are you willing to accept for the safe passage of your larger community?
takeaway
Stay focused on the goal.
*Michael Goldberg, Travels With Odysseus. I’m taking much of my inspiration in this series from his book. I recommend it!