"How should we be able to forget those ancient myths that are at the beginnings of all peoples, the myths about dragons that at the last moment turn into princesses; perhaps all the dragons of our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us once beautiful and brave.  Perhaps everything terrible is in its deepest being something helpless that wants help from us." - Rilke

I was reading more Rilke this weekend, and was particularly taken with Letter 8, from whence come the above quote.  What are those people in our lives that cause us difficulty?  Are they trials to be hated?  Or are they those to be pitied?

In general, I consider myself able to get along with pretty much everyone.  I love to talk to people about who they are and what they do.  I figure we can all learn something from everyone.. none of us are too all-knowing not to.  I once heard a comedian complain that he always got stuck on the airplane sitting next to the ball bearing salesman, and I remember thinking, "that doesn't sound so bad.  I'd love to know how they get them so round..."  Doesn't everyone have something they can teach us?

There have been occasionally, though, a few people in my life I could never quite figure out.  For whatever reason, I affected them the wrong way, and I ended up getting stabbed in the back for it, not for anything I consciously did (that I know of...), but just something about my personality I guess. 

Two of these have been in the work environment and ended up affecting my day job.  I admit, I went through periods of anger and resentment, but in the end, I was better for it, and landed in a better place.  And as for them.. they're still who they are, and I'm sure that is punishment enough. 

So... is it fair for us to hate these dragons?  Or do we pity them, hoping they turn into princesses?  If we set a noble example, will they eventually see they light, and change?  Is it all just a cry for help?

I'm not sure... I've always had mixed feelings about how much people can change.  I think there are some in this world that will never change, and society needs to free itself of them.  But in general, I think we all have the ability to be creative, to be brilliant, to be kind, to be fair.. I think we can change... but it all starts with seeing our own need to change...

And how do we do that?

Rilke went on to say, "...just remember that sickness is the means by which an organism frees itself of foreign matter; so one must just help it to be sick, to have its whole sickness and break out with it, for that is progress."

So I guess that's what I need to figure out, how to be sick, how to help others to be sick... for that would be progress.  And in the end, when we're all healed, I think we'd all be better for it.

People, situations, lives.. I think many of the dragons we face are just princesses in disguise.  And if we try to slay them, we slay all the potential that may be found there.  But if we can embrace our dragons, our sicknesses, and get healed.. well.. there's something we can learn in the process...

And maybe I'll even figure out how they get ball bearings so round...