From the Dragon’s Den
February 2013
From the Dragon’s Den
Poor Sam! Somehow he has done himself a mischief and damaged his tail.
Perhaps he was being inquisitive and caught his tail in the cupboard door as he dodged out of view.
Perhaps he met a hungry mouse which fancied a bit of dragon meat for supper.
We may never know what exactly happened but the upshot is that Sam was discovered to have a damaged tail, near to the tip, which has necessitated in surgery – involving purple thread – being performed by a Senior Dragon. Sam, with bandaged appendage, is now on the road to recovery and has welcomed the many expressions of sympathy that he has received following his trauma.
There are times in all our lives when mishaps involving illnesses or misfortune affect us. Sometimes it seems as if we are besieged by troubles and it is good if we are able to manage such times with equanimity and a sense of, ‘Oh, well, it will all be better in the morning…next week… next year…sometime!’
When the opposite appears to be the case; when we feel alone in our situation, as if no one cares and there is no way out it is good if we can find someone to talk to, in order to express our fears and our hopes. The sharing of our burdens can be cathartic and sometimes releases a feeling of relief and new hope for the future.
It seems odd that we are able to talk to some people, sometimes strangers, about hugely worrying, personal aspects of our life and, seemingly those people are able to allay our fears and make the future look more manageable. It sometimes appears that the recipient of our fears and troubles is a most unlikely source of comfort yet they provide us with the release that makes life seem easier and more hopeful. Now, from where do such people obtain their gift? It seems to me that some beings are blessed with a special god-given gift which enables them to absorb the cares and woes of others and give off a feeling of ease and harmony to the sufferer.
One doesn’t have to be a Senior Dragon to have this gift – one just needs to care and find time to take on a little of another’s burdens – and to listen!
Val Butterworth