Once upon a time there was a knight who dreamed a dream. Inspired
by the past he dreamt of continuing the sagas of the bygone days of yore. “Oh,
my kingdom for a dragon” he would exclaim! “To ride the wind for a good cause!”
But, homework seemed to get in his way! There were classes during the day…’not
so bad’…sports on weekends…’better’ he thought, but what to do, to do? What is
it that makes me long for something so different?
One night the knight dreamed a dream. It was a powerful dream,
full of inspiration….the kind of dream one never forgets because it feels more
real than the daytime before sleep sets into the bones…the kind of dream you
don’t want to wake up from. It went like this:
As
the knight rubbed his eyes, he awoke to a dark cloud of smoke.
“Well
it’s about time you woke up!” said the voice in a cloud.
“Who
said that?” said the young knight.
“My
name is Milis.”
“What?
Who are you? Where are you?” the knight said.
As
Milis swatted at the smoke, allowing it to clear, “Here” he said, clearing his
throat.
“What
ARE you?” inquired the young knight.
“Milis
the Meek is my correct title, mentor extraordinaire, just larger than most of
life. You did wish for a dragon, did you not?”
“Well
yeah! It was a daydream. Who knew there were any left.”
“Well,
it’s the dream in the daydreams that make wishes come true…and the dragons who
knew of the daydream in you…knew! Milis at your service, milord.”
“You’re
really a real dragon?”
“Yes,
from the fire breathing category, as you can well tell!”
The
young knight pondered the moment while stirring from his sleep, unable to
believe his eyes. “What do we do, where do we begin?”
Well,
firstly young knight, to business. I have arrived with your apprenticeship
papers in hand.
“I’m
an apprentice! Cooooooooooool! What does that mean?”
More
questions, thought Milis, this is an excellent sign! An inquisitive mind, sharp
as a tack, to wake from a deep sleep and observe opportunities at hand! Soon we’ll
be able to traverse the kingdoms, skim over the oceans and maneuver through the
clouds like we own the world. I’ve chosen my apprentice well. ‘Well done,
Milis’ he thought to himself! I’ve always had good taste. J
“Just
a formality, sign here”, Milis said.
“Sign
where? What does this say?” said the young knight?
“Well,
it’s your name…C.J.McKnight, Apprentice to Milis.”
“You
already know my name?”
“This,
young sir, is not just a name, it’s your title. Christian by name, you are, are
you not?”
“Yes”
he said wide eyed.
“McKnight,
by title… for your apprenticeship”.
“What’s
the J for?”
Bright
boy, bright boy, he misses nothing! “You wanted a good cause, did you not?”
“YES!”
“The
J is for Justice” Milis explained.
“When
do we begin?”
“Right
now.”
Milis
explained that C.J. McKnight must invent his new world. Your best choices must
be put to parchment. Let’s talk a while and make our list.
“First,
your kingdom” Milis declared.
“A
castle, of course, a den for the dragon, lush lands for food and a steed for surveying
the kingdom…after all, even a dragon needs his rest!”
“Second,
your cause” Milis declared.
“Good
food and happiness for all in the kingdom.” said C.J.
“Third,
choose your colors” Milis declared.
“Blue
is a happy color.”
“Declarations
in place, we may now begin. Formalities are complete on parchment, we can now
proceed” was the final declaration by Milis.
Let
us now draw your kingdom, for I see you are a visionary, milord”. A new
parchment materialized. Quill In hand, ink in well and C.J. began his vision.
As the figures penned to parchment, the eyes widened. The smile broadened. The
drawing came to life before his eyes and his quest was at hand. The dragon
beamed with pride for his apprentice. The vision was beautiful and teaming with
life. Happy faces were on the peoples of the clan.
“How’s
it looking?” the young knight asked.
“Perfectly
wonderful” Milis replied.
“When
do we begin?” asked C.J.
“Immediately.
Climb aboard.”
With
a comfortable grip on the green shoulders the two began their bond. Voices
engaged in conversation and dreams to be dreamed. They walked till they reached
the edge of the land where it drops the cliff to the ocean. “What do you see by
the sea?” Milis asked.
“The
sky, the land, the ocean and the sunset. Is that a good answer?”
“Think
again.” Milis said.
The
young knight paused, thought a thought about a dream to be dreamed. “Endless
possibilities.” He beamed back.
“Now
you’re thinking. Hang on to your hat. Get ready for the ride of your life!”
The
dragon reared, but just a bit, for his charge was new to this territory.
“Are
you ready?” Milis asked.
“I
am” said the adventurous knight. “Kick it!”
And
‘kick-it’ he did. Milis belched fire and smoke in celebration of the event. With
a quick gesture he lunged into the air. Over the cliff and into the lifetime of
possibilities they went. In that brief moment, C.J. McKnight remembered once
reading of the old mapmakers…’beyond this point there be dragons’ and thinking
how lucky he was to have found one. The old mapmakers must have known of
something special. In the crisp of night air in the land of the never setting
sun, they flew into a sunbeam. All that could be heard was the thrill of the
apprentice…
“Cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool!”
went McKnight.
The journey has just begun.
Cathy
