Bidding MikisTheodorakis farewell: Instead of an Epilogue
Katia Charalabaki, Psychiatrist – systemic therapist
Photograph caption: 1981, in the “Alkyonis” cinema foyer, Katia Charalabaki editor in chief of the “Odigitis” newspaper at the time, is conducting an interview with Mikis Theodorakis that would be published in the specific youth publication… Youthful, with dreams and ideals, but also with… a cigarette in hand…
Some words as an epilogue for the last goodbye to Mikis Theodorakis. There was a general, massive, populous mobilisation for the farewell to Mikis, with glorious and majestic elements. With historic and heroic memories, with songs and the revival of the spirit of great struggles… A perfect resonance, or even identification, with the concept of “Great”. Yet, there is one more, or many more aspects of the subject. Even he -art’s “immortal” Theodorakis- has died, because he too was “human”, and men are commonly called “mortals”. And even in the publicly known story of his life, there were many problems ranging from small to (very) big, that were frequently difficult to resolve… Therefore, returning to reality, along with our day- dreaming side, we should also be realists and have both feet firmly on the ground. In our photo albums, and in those of our parents and grandparents, we see beautiful photographs that make us look back on nice periods of our life that are long-gone. But we only find a few pictures, or none at all, that show us crying, cursing or being cursed at… These are more commonly represented in the album of our dreams… Thus, when we bid people, even important ones like Mikis Theodorakis, farewell, we do not cease to see (beyond the pain or the identification with the greatness) life in its true measure, with the positives and the negatives. This is, after all, the deeper meaning of psychotherapy…
Thus: Yes, we bid farewell to Mikis Theodorakis, singing “Canto General”, but also solemnly and humbly sipping on the “coffee of consolation” …