Leto is the Roman Goddess of motherhood and protector of the young. She inherited her Goddess standing by marrying Zeus and his first wife, Hera, despised her. Hera cursed her so that she could not give birth on land and then created a monster to make sure no child was born alive. Leto erased Olympus and sought a safe place to have her children. She found an island where Poseidon allowed her to stay. Leto eventually gave birth to Artemis and Apollo. Hera despised them as much as she did their mother. Although Hera caused so much suffered to Leto, Leto was not one to hold grudges nor to hate. Hera finally created another monster to get Leto but her children defeated it.
Leto is not a goddess that much is known because she was really known for her small gestures of kindness and acts. She was gentle, forgiving, and not easily driven to anger. She was known for mercy. She was not upset that Zeus had other wives; that was not something she felt she had to revenge. She knew what it was to be hated for things out of her control. She worried about her own loyalty to Zeus and did not ever want to bring attention to herself for any reason. She was soft of voice and calm, cool and very shy. She was a peacemaker and often put others’ safety before her own. She was willing to be blamed and/or take punishment for others’ misdoing rather than allow others to be harmed. She was a protector and would help others, like her, walk away from confrontation. She refused to judge, or to make demands, but, neither would she walk away from injustices. She cared not what others thought of her and preferred simply being who she was and who she felt she should be.
Leto is a goddess of every day things; a woman who knows a higher purpose. We can do a great deal in emulating her. I wish to try to be more kind, sweeter, more peaceful and more generous. My Leto-Self is within. I have met her, shown her, reacted in her way. It does not mean I do not snarl, but I am more known to be else. My loyalty is great. But I have had to grown into all these attributes. I continue to try to develop the good wolf within. I hope you are too.
©Carol Desjarlais 10.18.21
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