“Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet
I wish I understood what this means. I LOVE the way the words sound. The words resonate in my head but I don't get it. I need examples.
Got any?
I am sooo happy to hear you say you don't understand its meaning! So many times (I can't tell you how many times) people write such awesome things, and I NEVER understand what they mean!! They sound beautiful, though! And then I feel like the stupidest person in the world because everybody always comments and says such wise and understanding things. So, thank you for making me feel a little less stupid :)
ReplyDeleteMy initial reaction to this was... that the dragons (bad things) may not be as bad if we think if we learn,gain, become better as a result of facing them. Acceptance of our fears, love of our weaknesses....I think!!
ReplyDeleteI can't think of any examples but I understand it as being about facing our fears and taming them--embracing them to unleash the good or rewarding things about them. I probably can't think of any good examples because I am such a chicken-shit about facing my own fears. ;)
ReplyDelete(Hmmm, maybe like shadows in your dark bedroom when you were a kid--if you were brave enough to jump up and turn on the light (or even just watch long enough for your eyes to adjust to the light), they became something not scary at all, but familiar and loved--it wasn't a monster; it was the stuffed bear you got for Christmas or whatever. Obviously, more metaphorical and on a grander scale, I think.)
I just want to act, once, with beauty and courage. How do you do that?
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