Topic: Power
A few weeks ago, my grandson was sitting across the table from me. It was just the two of us. The conversation was at a lull, as often is the case between adults and 12-year-olds. My eyes drifted to the book he'd laid aside while attending to his chicken nuggets.
"Is this a good book?" I asked.
He assured me that it certainly was, then began to share the plot about an aspiring dragon who was having to disguise herself as a boy in order to proceed in her quest for power.
"Sounds like a book about girl power," I said.
"No it isn't," he assured me, as if he wouldn't be caught dead reading a book about 'girl power.'" He allowed me to look at the summary on the back cover.
"Yep," I nodded. "Definitely about girl power. Is it any good?" His response was affirmative.
"Sounds like something I need to read," I said, reaching for a pen to write down the title. "Eon: Dragoneye Reborn," I wrote. "I'll find it and get back to you when I've read it, too"
Back home, I discovered the library had a waiting list. So I elected to listen to it on CD. Wow! What a mind-boggling book. It's been "sanitized" somewhat for younger minds--good thing, considering the violence that even includes a metaphorical rape that I'm thinking most young minds would not quite grasp. It's the kind of book that I could probably revisit a dozen times and still not have all the gems it offers. In fact, I'm going to recommend that my grandson go back to it again in about five years. And maybe again in another few years when he possibly contemplates marriage and/or entering the business world.
The greatest idea that I gained from the book didn't come from the author's words. Her words sparked my thinking to generate a profound spiritual principle that about jolted me out of my shoes! Here it is in my own words:
EVIL DOES NOT WANT US DEAD. IT WANTS US HELPLESS SO IT CAN USE US! WHEN IT CAN NO LONGER USE US, EVIL IS DEFEATED. IT CAN GO ON TO CONQUER OTHERS, BUT CANNOT HAVE A VICTORY OVER OUR SOULS.
