St George’s day… There is a certain irony in the air today as across this damp, green island, we are busy celebrating a man who supposedly put an end to a legend. A day to toast to the end of the monster. But here at Bones and the Bull, we’ve always looked past the shining armour and the pointed spear. We’re looking at the fabulous one with the scales!
If you find yourself feeling a bit of misplaced sympathy for the dragon this St. George’s Day, you are in good company.
The Master of the Elements
The dragon isn’t just a creature of myth; it is a master of the three realms we spend our lives trying to navigate. It holds the earth in its claws, carves through the water with its tail, and claims the air as its own beneath epic leathery wings.
For those of us who live for the trail and the trek, the dragon is surely the ultimate explorer. It doesn't need a map or a compass; it simply is the wilderness, much like how the Bull has become our symbol for what the world has to throw at us. When we’re out under a forest canopy or staring across a slate-grey lake, we aren't looking for a saint to come save us. We are looking for the raw, untamed spirit the dragon represents. We aren't trying to conquer the landscape to earn a day of acclaim; we’re trying to belong to it every day!
The Fire and the Hearth
Then, there is the fire…
In the stories it is a weapon of destruction, but (especially on a bone-deep cold night under the stars) fire is everything. It’s the small, flickering blaze that keeps the dark at bay and the warmth that makes a hard day’s journey worth the effort.
But more importantly, it is the fire in the blood! It is that restless, burning itch to see what’s over the next ridge and to slay “the dragon” inside is to douse that flame. We don’t choose the safety of the village over the danger of the mountain because that sounds like a miserable way to spend a day.
A Call to the Whimsical
It is fair to say, the world is a bit heavy right now. World War might be around the corner and even still, here in the UK plenty of people will be arguing over what this day means, shouting about flags and history until the air turns sour. I’m not interested in that noise.
Our message is simpler: Shun the politics and “Embrace the whimsical”.
The mountains, lakes, and forests of this country are the literal stages of the stories we grew up loving. They haven't changed, the magic hasn't evaporated, but some have just stopped looking for it. Instead of celebrating the "slaying," or getting hot under the collar about a flag, let’s celebrate the "harnessing" of the Legend.
Don't kill the dragon inside you and don't quiet that part of your spirit that wants to roar, or fly, or breathe fire into a cold world. We should harness it and take that power, to master our own air, our own water and our own earth.
Keep a little magic in the back of your mind today. The world is far more interesting when you’re looking for monsters to run with, rather than monsters to run through with a pointy stick.
Bones
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