Monday, August 2, 2010

Random Musings Strike Again....

Theres something about dragons...



I had a few days of synchronicity with dragons. It all started with a visit to the comic shop where i saw an old Reaper miniature box set of a really cool looking red dragon. I'd been to the shop quite a few times and only noticed him today. Sadly i did not bring him home.

I got back home and was reading about my current 40K army (Necrons) online when i came across the tale of the Void Dragon. It was an interesting bit of fluff. Interstingly, the wildlife channel the same night was showing a segment on the Komodo dragon.

The very next day, i caught the cartoon movie How to Train Your Dragon in the afternoon. It was a great movie which i enjoyed it immensely. The graphics and storyline were top notch, and so were the laughs. That night, I came full circle when i was surfing the net and came across an article on St George and the dragon.

Thats a lot of dragons in just two days. Well today is the third day and i found an old cartoon on the net called Flight the Dragons! It certainly brought back many fond childhood memories.

I realized that we have all been faced dragons too in our everyday lives. Its just that the 'dragons' are not the mythical flame breathing winged type, well not always, but more so the trials and difficulties of life. Each of these trails represent 'dragons' to be overcome or defeated.

And in our overcoming, we in turn become dragon slayers.

We win not every battle, but with the hope of what victory would bring, we can choose not to give up. We will each rise in our own time, and try to slay those dragons again. And with every success, I am hopeful that i would gain sense of tranquil humility, and courage to face more of my fears and take on life's bullies.

Looking back on all the fairy tales i grew up on, i really appreciate learning about and loving dragons in all their forms. A really big 'dragon' i had encountered was myself. Sometimes an acceptance of who we are for all our faults and weaknesses, may just prove to be the magic sword to slay the dragon witihn. That 'dragon' may then even be ours to command and ride forth in future battles.

This has really given me a renewed perspective on the value of the Fantastic or Fantasy (Sci-Fi included). These supernatural and reality bending stories reflect the struggle with ourselves and the circumstances of the journey that is life.

I will end with a very apt quote attributed to the great writer G.K. Chesterton (i really enjoyed his novel The Man Who Was Thursday):

"Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know dragons exist.
Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed."

Have a great start to the week all!

2 comments:

  1. Dragons always fascinate me since young. 1st encounter with dragons was watching the tv version of the chinese literature " journey to the west".

    Dragons are like the ultimate evil and the last boss of an adventure in a rpg game and killing it yield great rewards ehehe.

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  2. Hey i remember the Journey to the West series! I enjoyed watching it too :))

    Totally agree man, the dragon in rpg games are badass!

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