The reluctant hero called to seek out a mythical dragon and its horde of treasure is one of my favorite types of adventure stories. The idea of a small band of adventures heading off on a journey of redemption to reclaim the treasure and riches stolen by a wicked and evil beast is vivid and powerful. I think the power in the story emerges because it offers us a chance to see how dragons spring up to guard the treasures we are seeking in our own lives.
As we step out on the adventure of our own lives we are likely to seek treasures in three broad categories: health, wealth, and family. And as the old saying goes “Here there be dragons!”
Our physical health can be challenged by injury, disease, or simply the aging of the body. While our mental health is likely to be assaulted by powerful emotions. These dragons seem to swoop in and rob us of our vitality and strength… Often when we need it most. When we battle them we secure our strength and recover some of the ground we may have lost. And with any luck we emerge stronger and wiser.
Traditionally, wealth is seen as the accumulation of resources like money and property. But I want to add a complicating variable here… time. Exchanging our time for money is often a necessary trade we must make in our modern world but it can easily take the form of a seductive dragon that worms its way into our life with malicious intent to convince us to provide it with more and more treasure. This dragon must be tamed in a way that we can find a beneficial balance between using our time to gather resources and saving some for other important endeavors.
Some of the most aggressive dragons in our lives circle around the relationships we hold most treasured and valuable. The adventurer on a quest to find the love of their life is likely to be beset by dangerous and malicious dragons that torment and frustrate their efforts. A parent striving to provide for the needs of their children will have to fight off the beastly dragons that come to snatch them away. The rewards and treasure found in family are so great that the dragons will be relentless in their efforts to break you and claim your joy for their own.
In the myths and stories, the adventurer is often more prepared than they think for the challenges of battling with the dragon. During the quest the most valuable of resources emerges, one the dragon doesn’t possess, and likely can never have. This ultimate power is the strength we gain from our relationships with others journeying with us on the adventure. The dragon is alone, but we have allies who can help us out mauve and beguile the dragons so that we can claim the treasures of this life for ourselves… and our companions.
Thank you for indulging me in a bit of metaphorical whimsy. Now let’s go slay some dragons.
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