The Dragon

Dear Friend,

I’m sorry to have heard of your recent capture by The Dragon. You’ve asked me to come and rescue you, but I am sorry to say that I can’t. You see, I’m also fighting The Dragon, and it never  really seems to die. I can’t slay this Dragon you face. You are the only one with the power to do that. You say that you don’t know how. Friend, you are quite mistaken. Don’t you remember?

Do you remember going to the park as a child? Do you remember what you were and what we did? You were a knight, climbing up the tall, steep stairs to rescue the beautiful princess. Didn’t she thank you? Didn’t she kiss your rosey little cheek? You took her by the hand and we both slid down to safety. Remember when you pushed me back up as you soon discovered the lava and alligators at the bottom. Do you remember? Tell me, do you?

Tell me, tell me. Didn’t you pretend you were flying as your daddy pushed you on the swing? You felt way up high above the clouds. You were Superman. Other times, a rocket, or an airplane. I was always a fairy or a beautiful bird. You jumped out of the sky and came hurtling down to the ground. Didn’t you feel the tickling sensation as you floated in the air for those split seconds? Didn’t you relish the impact as you landed? You kissed the ground, just because you were glad to be back. Do you remember? Tell me, do you?

Tell me, tell me. Don’t you remember taking a simple blanket from your bed and transforming it into something wonderful. A royal robe, an invisible cloak, a garden patch, or a tent? Remember taking a paper plate and using it as a fan when we dressed up? You always had a stick, or a butter knife from the kitchen and pretended it was your sword. You always took your fathers nicest tie and used it to tie up the “bad guys.” Do you remember? Tell me, do you?

Tell me, tell me. Do you remember building a castle out of that old cardboard box? You used a Sharpie to make it look like it was made of stone. Your baby sister found it when you forgot to put it away. She colored on the newly painted walls and you got blamed for it. Do you remember taking the scissors? Your mothers favorite pair. You cut something’s you knew you shouldn’t have. The couch, the curtains and the cord to the lamp. You rounded up your siblings and sneaked them all into the bathroom. Or was it your bedroom closet? Each took his turn while you held the scissors. Your little sister was angry when you cut off her bouncing curls, after that you were grounded from the scissors for a whole year. Do you remember? Tell me, do you?

Tell me, tell me. Do you remember Christmas, Easter, and your Birthday? Do you remember how excited we always were? Do you remember the glow of the candles on your very own cake? They were exciting then. They didn’t just mean you were older, they meant that you were loved by someone. You always took your basket and gathered all the eggs. Your mother would tell you to wait a minute and let the younger kids find some as your eyes darted about when they walked right by the ones you really wanted. Remember bouncing up and down exclaiming on Christmas Eve that we had seen the light of Rudolph's nose? When really, it was just the break lights of a backing car. Do you remember? Tell me, do you?

Tell me, tell me. Do you remember being told to sit down and be quiet? We were told to stop being so silly, to be still for once in our lives and to go do something productive. You were laughed at by our friends when you said you wanted to play house. I laughed too. You went downstairs, took your dads nicest tie, that wasn’t so nice and new anymore. You put a pillow on the arm of the couch, the one with the scissor slice in it. You tied the tie around the front of it. You sat astride it and held up your sword that seemed to be looking more and more like a stick. You quietly said, “Giddy up.” Your noble steed ran off towards the old castle, that for the first time actually looked like a cardboard box. You looked for The Dragon and she sat there looking at you through her big red eyes. She smiled when you finally put the stick down, threw the box in the garbage and walked away. You found me and we did something “cool” with our friends. We looked back and saw The Dragon wearing a victorious smile. Don’t lie. I know you remember.

We’re older now. We have jobs, family, friends, school, cool, “The Dragon” approved things to do. We’ve changed, but was it all for the better? She has captured us. But do you, tell me, do you still have that urging inside of you? Do you still dream of flying? Do you still rescue damsels in distress in your far away dreams? Do you sit on the couch quietly when you watch a movie? But inside, aren’t you right there? You are on the arm of the couch again, with your dads tie and a pillow as a saddle. You raise your stick and you slay The Dragon. You escape the lava and you get a true loves kiss from your princess.

Why did we stop killing The Dragon? When did we decide it was wrong to play? To dream and act on those dreams? When did we decide it was time to “grow up?” When did we decide it was okay to tell children to be quiet, just because we had a headache? When did we decide it was okay to all act virtually the same way? When did we really let The Dragon take us captive? Why does she eventually seem to take all of us? Why does she twist us, mold us, and put us where she pleases? Why do we let her? Will we ever put an end to it? Will we ever act on our dreams and childhood aspirations again?

Friend, now is the time to slay The Dragon.

Love, The Dragon Slayer.