We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
TS Eliot
A little boy went out to play in his backyard. It wasn’t long before he became bored with that small, confined area and wandered off across the countryside in search of something more interesting – like a dragon! But the dragons were hiding that day and even giants were hard to find. With evening fast approaching, he turned back for home, his wooden sword swinging uselessly by his side.
He could see the lights of his house flickering against the grey hills. Behind them, tall mountains with their heads in the clouds retreated toward the horizon. Only then did the boy see the dragon. And no ordinary one at that! But a big, fire breathing dragon whose fat body covered the entire hillside behind his house! All he could do was stand there, mesmerized by its pitiless, unblinking eye. Then like a great hero, he pulled the sword from the loop by his side and prepared for battle. The dragon reared up into the sky, brilliant streaks of yellow and orange, purple and red, lit up the sky, and then the dragon fled away leaving only darkness behind.
The boy hurried home with a slightly longer stride. It had taken a long journey for him to see the dragon in his own back yard!