That Dragon, Tragedy -Song Whittington

    My mind races as I think of how in the world I start this post. I know what I wish to say, but I know not how to say it. My words fail me much like King Leer's mind fails him throughout his tale. Beginning with his need for flattery and praise from others to provide him his self-worth all the way to his death with his dear Cordelia in his hands, Leer's mind is constantly failing him and, in the end, is his ultimate downfall. Whether there are some pre-existing conditions, we do not know. Shakespeare does not give us much backstory of Leer, only that he was a great and powerful king who is now in his decline. He grapples for power as much as he does for his own sanity. In the end, this dragon that is his declining sanity is his downfall. Following the death of Cordelia, and the ultimate destruction of what little sanity remains in his tattered mind, his sanity is not only his mental end but his physical end, as he dies with the knowledge that all he loved is already gone. His dragon, his declining sanity, is what, in my opinion, makes his tale a tragedy. 

    For the past week I have been running from a dragon in my life, and sitting and staring at this assignment I realized this is where I had to face it. I physically cannot think of anything to write because of this beast that plagues my mind. My title, to those who might not understand the reference, is a twist on a video game title. The game in question is called "That Dragon, Cancer." Though I have not brought myself to watch a playthrough of this game, I know it follows the story of a boy with terminal cancer. Cancer, that accursed disease, has plagued my life actively since 2013. Unknown initially, the disease claimed the life of at least one of my great uncles. In February of 2013, my mother was diagnosed with this terminal illness, though recovered from both breast and stage 4 colon cancer the following September. She has been cancer-free since this date, which brings me much joy. Yet, this dragon has continued to plague my family. In February of 2018, my great aunt was taken by breast cancer. I can not truly say if I have ever finished grieving. Now, as my Paw-Paw reaches his 79 birthday today on August 30, his fight with pancreatic cancer crescendos. My family and I visited this past weekend to celebrate, and I was not prepared to see him in the state he was in. I knew it was getting worse, I know it is only a matter of time, but seeing him there, oxygen tank beside him as he sleeps for the majority of the day, hit me much harder than I anticipated. I have been running, and in essence, have been in denial. He is not even gone yet and my grief has already begun, because, in the end, I know. I know that it is only time, it is only time before this dragon consumes another life. Likewise, it is only time before my dragon, the tragedy of this cursed disease, overtakes my sight. I pray I stay aware that God is with me, and I pray that I will be reminded I am not alone as this chapter comes to a close.

I commented on Ashlyn Scism's and Elijah Mahn's posts