The island Ithaca is known from the ancient times, since King of Ithaca, Odysseus, post the War of Troy, in his efforts to return home, he had a lot of adventures which lasted 10 years, lyrically described in the Homeric Epic, The Odyssey. He finally reached home only to find his wife, Penelope, surrounded by fiancés, which she was trying to stall with the wish of seeing her husband returning home safe.
Therefore, Ithaca symbolizes, in our history and ethics, a Purpose in life.
We say “have you reached your Ithaca” only to describe a purpose, a goal.
Further, our greatest poet, Konstantinos Kavafis, described in his poem Ithaca:
“As you set out for Ithaca
hope your road is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery…
…Keep Ithaca always in your mind.
Arriving there is what you’re destined for.
But don’t hurry the journey at all.
Better if it lasts for years,
so you’re old by the time you reach the island,
wealthy with all you’ve gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.
Ithaca gave you the marvelous journey.
Without her you wouldn't have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.
And if you find her poor, Ithaca won’t have fooled you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you’ll have understood by then what these Ithacas mean.”
Ithaca is a marvelous Ionian island. Precious. Give it time and enjoy it!
All pics are mine, sometimes improved with my phone's tools
