Since the beginning of time, people have explored the universe in search of answers to the burning questions of what "this" means. Looking back, we find parallels that help put our modern lives into perspective. We mortals have an insatiable quest for knowledge about everything under the sun. Who are we? Where do we come from? Why are we here? What happens next? By analyzing the meaning of ancient mythology and applying the lessons learned through the hero's quests, we gain insight and perspective on our place in the modern world we live in today. By visualizing and internalizing the lessons learned through the mythological hero's journeys, we find relevance in the symbolism and metaphors that mirror our own struggles and inspire us to find the courage and determination to overcome them. I'm not a deeply religious person, but I believe in "something." What that something is, I'm not entirely sure. However, like the characters in the myths we have read about this semester, I know that I too am embarking on a journey that will hopefully one day reveal the answers to the questions I have sought along with the ones I haven't even asked. thought again. Life is a quest that begins at birth and continues until the day we die. Our quests resemble hero's journeys because in trying to achieve our goals; we trip, we fall, we get a little help if we're lucky, then we get up and try again. I sometimes pray for supernatural help as I struggle to overcome obstacles along the way, but so far no gods or goddesses have materialized to help me in times of need. I guess this is why we have family: those people in our lives that we sometimes can't live with but could never live without. It's their... middle of paper... process. Like the mythological characters we were introduced to this semester, we journey through life and face obstacles that make us stronger or shatter us into a million pieces. It's up to us to choose how to put these pieces back together. Works Cited "Jason and the Golden Fleece." Ancient Greek mythology. Copyright © 2003-2012 University Press Inc. . Network. 11 October 2013. .Raffel, Burton. Beowulf. New York, NY: Signet Classic, 1963. print.Gardner, John. Grendel. New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1971. Print. Fagles, Robert. The Odyssey. Luxury. New York, NY: Penguin Classics, 1996. Print.Encyclopedia Mythica. MCMXCV - MMXII Encyclopedia Mythica.. Web. 11 Oct 2013. .The Epic of Gilgamesh. Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center, Web. .