******
Nested in the lore of martial artists around the world is the story of a painter who, at the end of each summer, would journey into the mountains to consider the world around him and his place in it. He took nothing with him but the clothes on his back, a pot of ink, a few brushes, and a single canvas.
When the first flowers of spring burst forth from the ground like laughter from a joyful heart, he would return with a dragon painting drawn with but a single stroke- one fluid motion of his practiced hand from beginning to end. It was posted in his village for all the people to consider and meditate on until the next time he returned from his journey. At that time it was burned, so as not to diminish the lessons of the next dragon painting.
There are yet three dragons left to go, but one of my teachers is quite old now, and it is the season of my life when I must study and train with him as I did years ago. As he told me, "I'm not going to live forever. You want to learn, get back to work. When I'm gone, I'm gone."
So, although it's not yet summer, because of the age of my teacher, it is time for me to go to the metaphorical mountains again and continue my studies. I will begin tying up loose ends over the next week. Much still to learn, much to consider and time to go back to work. There is a saying, too, in one of my arts, that "On the days that you are lazy, your life's enemy will be training, and if you meet him on one such day, you will lose. But if you train always, your life's enemy will fear you and hide."
Each student was asked to choose their life's enemy, and I chose Apathy. Apathy, like rust, never seems to sleep, but always tugs at our shirtsleeve, tempting to us to look away from our best direction so that we may be lost forever.
I'll be back next spring with the conclusion of this series. The post beneath this one completes the Fourth Dragon. When I return, we'll pick up with the Fifth Dragon. Til then, I wish you all the best on your writing journeys and I'll stop by your blogs to say hello in between my studies.
Namaste,
Rick Moore
66 comments:
Hang in there & write your claws off! ;)
I've enjoyed the series. Thanks for sharing these ideas in a creative and unique way.
Lana, I'll be doing just that when I get back!
Thanks, Charles. I'll be looking forward to reading your blog when I return.
Apathy is the writers worst enemy indeed. I will be waiting for you to come back and whilst I wait I shall be writing more and more episodes and call my friends to record more too. And David and Helen will continue doing a splendid job editing and adding sound effects. It was always me who would walk around the house (sometimes for days) to find the near perfect sound effect. I'm not allowed to do this anymore. I have been made redundant. We now have loads on a disc and that pleasure has been taken away. And a pleasure it was too. As it was an enormous pleasure to know you. Take care my friend.
Hug
Hi Monique! I'll still be around and coming to visit you when I'm not training. It's one of my pleasures in life to keep current with Middle Ditch. I think my instructor will enjoy listening to it, too. Now if only he could speak English.
Good luck in your training. ANd thanks for the insights you've given. I've enjoyed them.
Thank you so much for stopping, Virginia Lady and I look forward to stopping by your blog again.
Rick, you are off on adventure, passing the threshold, and in for some great study time. :D
Your mentors voice will always whisper to you because of your deep bond.
Cheers! JJ
Hi J,
Thank you so much for your best wishes- and sometimes my mentors whisper pretty loud! :)
This has been a great series, and I think other visitors will agree that you ought to publish this. Blogging takes a great deal of time out of a writer's schedule when they ought to be writing. I have fallen into the same trap. Take care in your writing, and hopefully we will see interesting work from you soon.
That was really beautiful Rick. You have such a wonderful way of wording things.
Thanks so much, Barbara, and I am very much looking forward to meeting some day at one of the conventions!
Why, thank you Christina! Surely to goodness there has to be a writer's convention where some day all of us can meet up. I'm voting for whichever location has the best weather!
Rick...when I commented on The Dragon of Condensed Starlight, I had no idea that the post above it was a little "farewell for awhile" post. This series has been NOTHING short of fantastic! I applaud your wonderful writing and thank you for the lessons learned.
I agree with Barbara Martin - I hope you will work to get this published.
Take care, my friend, and hope to see you around OMM now and then.
Can't wait to see what spring will bring. <3 K
thx for the insights, rick... while on hiatus, recover fully from your owies, and come back with vim and vigor :D
K. Lawsen, I will put together a book proposal on this, and commission artwork for it. Lana has a marvelous eye for dragons. In fact, I've met more artistically talented people through blogging then since I started writing!
And I'll be back- don't forget I'm going to talk to you about dragon poems...
My teacher will have new owies in mind, laughingwolf. In fact, I'll be so sore from day one that I'll be sneaking away to read something entertaining on your blog. You always manage to spread good cheer.
I look forward to talking about the poems, Rick...
Thanks, K. Lawsen! Me, too.
Love your writing...Look forward to hearing about the adventure of the training. There was something about your story about planning training that reminded me on a friend who entered extended Aikido training.....I wish you what you are most looking for...Hop you will consider posting occassional tgraining photos?
Linda
Hello, Linda. It's nice to hear from you. Aikido is a wonderful art and your friend was participating in an honored tradition. I occasionally train with practitioners of Aikido, and I am a devout reader of the Founder's (Ueshiba) writings. He was a great man.
Thanks Rick
I totally agree. Please send an occasions photo of your new life...I miss Aikido
Linda
Rick, I'm so envious! Have an amazing journey into the unknown. I'm looking forward to your inspirations gained.
Catvibe, I've traveled 1500 miles so far and still driving! There are so many exciting things to see in this country that I should do this every year.
I have passed the most amazing trees and rocks and flowers and rusty equipment and abandoned buildings and I want to stop and write about everything I see! Imagine how long it would take me to get from one place to the other...
Today I'm holed up in Tifton, GA, surrounded by open land and open-hearted people. The South is rife with legends rich and exhausting in their emotional complexity.
Hey, I'm rambling, aren't I?
Best of luck! I'll be studying the dragon series more closely. There's so much information!
Thanks for the good wishes, Travis- I'm going to need them. And maybe learn to duck better, too...
As one of the southerns be welcome Rick. I love your excitement of the adventure!
Linda
Strong mind, strong back, strong spirit.
Walkingman, you hold Detroit down for me while I'm gone, will you? I promise not to let warm weather get addictive.
Rick I want to thank you for brick donation. The support has meant a lot to my family and I, so please know that you have helped ease the burden on us. The fire was horrible but with the help of friends we will overcome the damages of the flames.
You have so many friends out here Travis who care what happens to you- you've given us a lot in your writings and I'm glad we can give something back in return. I'll keep you and your family in my prayers.
thx rick, i try to provide a laugh or two amongst some more serious stuff...
will the new owies make you a better writer? :O lol
Rick...
What a treasure it has been for you to share part of your journey with us. I wish you much strength against Apathy and the richest inspiration yet to come :)
Thank you so much, L.A.
Day Two and I already know it will be a long season.
Next spring?! Next spring! Like... 2011 spring?!
I don't mean to be selfish, but I am really going to miss you. :-(
And thanks a ton for the health insurance idea! Wow! That is PERFECT. Gosh, I was being stubborn when I said I knew there had to be a way, but I can't tell you how happy I was to learn there WAS a way! Thank you, Rick!
Hello Spy- I'm so glad that the insurance idea was helpful to you. Health and babies are important!
And I'll be back late this spring, but in the meantime I'll check in with your blog because it's good brain food, and I'll need that to make up for my aching bones.
Best wishes on your new training. By spring, I'll have had a chance to catch up on your previous dragon posts and be ready for the new ones.
Gorgeous, gorgeous dragon for today, BTW. One of my favorites so far.
Thanks so much, Shauna. I have sincerely missed the intense training, and am glad to be back at it. I'll be back this spring, though, to complete the series and I will check in on your site when I have computer access. See you then, Rick.
Hey Rick, just to let you know that another episode is posted. How are you?
Hi Monique. I'm sore from a lot of training, but other than that, I'm doing great. I'm going to head right over to your site tonight. So glad you have another episode up!!
Good luck, Rick! Train well, my friend...
Thank you, Vesper. We were up all night training night before last, and believe me, last night I slept well!
Hey, I haven't gotten to look at blogs as much as I'd like to lately. I'll miss you! Check your email if you get a chance. It's semi-finals week (Through Sunday February 8th, for the erotic fiction contest) and I have a sticky post on my blog about it. If I get into the finals I'll have a 1 in 3 shot at the $3,000 grand prize.
Hey Rick,
Chop wood, carry water. See you on the other side when we can chop wood and carry water again.
Rick, there's something waiting for you at my site... :-)
Just wanted to let you know how much I miss you. Hope you are well! ;)
Just a thought
(¯`v´¯)
`•.¸.•´
¸.•´
( ¸¸.* Anna-Lys
Hi Zoe- sorry if I've missed your contest while away. I'll head over to your blog to see if I can catch up and cast a vote!
You would have to bring that up, wouldn't you, Steve? For the last few days that's exactly what I've been doing! (Figuratively and literally)
You are as gracious as you are talented, Vesper. I've missed your poetry- so I'm going over to visit you and refresh my heart.
Why, Anna-Lys, I do believe you've made a Love Dragon!
If I didn't know better (because you are commenting on comments) I'd swear you did another disappearing act. You know, like you did last year. X
Ah, I'm not the only person who has taken a blog break, eh? ;-)
I enjoyed this...
I did, didn't I? :-)
Hello Osondu. I'm so glad you stopped by. I'm still traveling and training, but I'll be sure to stop by your site in the coming weeks.
Yes, Anna-lys, you most certainly did!
Can I borrow your dragon please, to sort out my problem? Amazon.uk have a glitch on their system. they insist my book's displayed on their website, but it isn't. It's available though amazon.com and other amazon sites around the world, as far away as New Zealand, but not on my 'local' uk site. It can be preordered online from all the main uk bookstore sites- Borders, Waterstones, WH Smiths etc - but as far as amazon.uk are concerned, Cut Short doesn't exist. Unless my blog buddies across the pond put in a few orders on amazon.com, my amazon sales will be zero. Great start for a first book! How soon can I borrow that dragon?
Happy Easter, Rick
Hello David, and Happy Easter to you, too! I'll be back and blogging writing in about six weeks. Til then...
Six weeks!
I can't wait that long!
Thank You :-)
//
Anna-Light (Swe. Lys)
Back in the spring, white cat. the blossoms falling from the trees. Where are you?
Fantastic fantasy!
I'd be happy to see you on my blog again - haven't seen you there for a while. The first in my series of crime thrillers is published in two weeks. You're welcome to join in my virtual book launch on my blog.
Rick, you are very missed...
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