Mar
The Dragon Syndrome
Some years ago, I read a delightful book entitled “The Hobbit.” The story revolved around a tiny fellow known as a Hobbit. He had gone on a quest. In the story, he encountered a ferocious dragon named Smaug. This Dragon guarded a hoard of treasure in his underground lair. The hobbit took a piece of that treasure, and it sent the dragon into a frenzy
Smaug is not alone. The tales of Fafnir and the dragon of Beowulf also deal with reptilian horrors which have hoards. These beasts guard their treasures with a jealousy unmatched by any mere mortal.
The dragons are reminiscent of the Gnostic “Gospel of Thomas.” In one passage, the gospel reads: “They are like dogs guarding a manger. They let none pass to eat, and they do not eat themselves.” The dogs are like dragons. Dogs have no use for the fodder in a manger, and dragons cannot use treasure. Nonetheless, both guard their territory with ferocious intensity.
You certainly have no problem imagining the dragons and dogs of which we speak. The image resonates with something deeper. Many of us know people who are like them. They hoard and guard their treasures, never using them and never allowing any other to touch them. These individuals guard their treasure with a passion that is hard to match. Each single piece is counted and kept. The result is that the hoard is just a pile of stuff that benefits nobody. It is the object of an obsession.
This brings up the paradox: do we own our possessions or do they own us? Surely, the latter is true of the dragons who spend all their time guarding a hoard they cannot use. It is also true of misers and other folks who allow their prized possessions to become an anchor that holds them in one place.
What with the popularity of collecting these days, individuals with the dragon syndrome are not far away. There are many who hoard collectibles with the conviction that they will accumulate in value. Usually, the gains are paltry, if at all. This is just the latest form of dragon syndrome.
Own your possessions. Do not let them own you. When that which you own is a burden rather than a blessing, it is time for you to take the initiative and make a change. You and you alone are the difference between having a life or living for your possessions. The things you own should help you enjoy life rather than let them become the reason to live. Be the owner, not the owned. Slay your inner dragon and be free!
