Day: May 20, 2008

She was the last girl to wander the edge of the ocean. Many things she saw and admired; wonderment lighting up her face. Feeling the sand squish between her toes; the soft underside of her feet would feel no jagged edges of rock; no prick of a thistle; no burn from a sun’s heat, as long as she never wandered far from the wet, soft sand. Looking behind her she could see footprints momentarily sustain shape before lapping water elongated them, until finally they blended back into specks of mere possibilities.

Breaking surfs provided an orchestra of sound. A tempo changing just slightly with deep, drumming throngs, and light tremolos of echoing waves bouncing against distant rocks. With eyes closed she stuck out her tongue to taste the sea’s salty mist. Breathing in deeply she inhaled the freshest air she had ever known. Overwhelmed within her senses she delighted in a security of happiness. Nothing of an outer world could touch her here. Her dance was innocent; a promise of enjoyment for everything she saw before her. Skipping just along the wave’s outer edges, she watched as each of her footsteps pushed the water out from under her weighted footprint, feeling a simplistic joy at how her existence was enough to change the smallest grain of sand. Maturely recognizing this epiphany, she smiled knowingly, understanding how she could make a difference in this world.

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” C.K. Chesterston

I was intrigued by this very thought on two separate planes. That of my imagination to give color and flair to my dragons but also the reality indeed dragons do exist. I have often thought of my dragons as Goliaths but that hasn’t been descriptive enough because they don’t seem to be playing fair. Instead of being on the ground coming at me face first in a match I can see before me, they tend to take flight and fly quite out of my field of vision. This gives them the advantage of flanking me from behind when I least expect it. They also have foul smelling fiery breath that singes my body from distances I didn’t think possible. My only hope is to gear up and be ready for battle always.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Eph 6:10-18