We all seem to have a quest of some kind in this life. Whether real or imaginary there are dragons that have to be slain or a friend that has be rescued. ( I chose not use a maiden here because from time to time we are all called to rescue someone or at least help in the rescue of someone.) We seek treasure and again this could be real gold or the gold of an experience. And you know when you seek treasure, in the long run; it’s not the treasure that matters, but what you did to find it. All of our great stories come from this idea.
These tales of rescuers defenders and treasure seekers come out of our earliest forms of storytelling. Beowulf, Hercules, Achilles, Perseus, David, and Samson come from the beginning of our time here on Earth. Some of these stories are history such as David and Samson and some myth, but all are exciting and all are inspirational. And all are a form of a quest.
Recently I have been spending time in Middle Earth, reading again The Lord of The Rings and the Silmarillion. Bilbo and Frodo Baggins are two small Hobbits from the Shire neither are built for adventures but one goes to seek a treasure and the other goes to destroy one, these are great truths that are also a calling on our lives.
The other thing about each of them is that there is nothing that extraordinary about them, and yet they are called and something wakes up inside them and they go where none of their race has gone before. They trade comfort for adventure and they trade an easy life for an uncertain end.
When I think about it, though I am not short and I do not smoke, I am much like a Hobbit. I enjoy 6 meals a day, when I can get them. I love the countryside to see flowers growing and trees bearing fruit. Fall is an awesome time of year when the harvest comes in, and I can cook. I don’t like complicated machinery and I prefer to be barefoot. And like Sam strawberries with fresh cream are wonderful.
Right now I am both Bilbo and Frodo. I seek a treasure of wisdom. I seek to know how to eat and prepare food and to know what health is. I also seek spiritual truth. I seek to know God better, to find Him and know him intimately. God is the ultimate treasure in this life. Without Him my purpose here becomes obscure and life valueless.
At the same time I am Frodo. I do not go in search of Mount Doom to destroy the one ring, but I do go out to destroy the evil that is corrupting my body and killing me. Like the ring, what must be destroyed in me, has to be destroyed by fire.
Fat has to burn away as do bad habits and none of this comes without pain or without sacrifice. And sometimes like Frodo I am tempted to put the ring on and disappear in to it. For me I would disappear into donuts and pies and cakes and though I may grow visibly larger I would soon fade from what life really has to offer as I disappear deeper into myself and away from other people.
So here I am out to seek great treasure and to destroy forever my enemies. This is my quest in this life. This is what lies in front of me every day. And the funny thing is the quest never really ends. I need to fight my dragons and seek treasure all of my life. Really, if I don’t, there is no point. People who stop questing seem to stop living.
So if today a man in an old grey cloak and weather beaten hat comes up to your door step and invites you to go on an adventure say yes. Go, because staying home will ultimately kill you anyway.