This geocache has been placed in a location chosen by my amazing friend Lynn. The location is a place very close to where she grew up. The placing of this cache marks the time in her life when she finally broke free of her "Depression Dragon" and began to live again.
When approaching the cache, remember to keep quiet. We don't want to wake the Dragon as we now hope he sleeps forever.
Initial cache contents: Log book, Monster finger puppet, Bison bottle opener, Golfing pencils, Geocaching wristband, 'Found It' smilie badge and a 'First To Find' pin badge for the lucky FTF.
What follows below is the story of Dragons End in Lynn's own words.
The tale of "Dragons End"
Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Lynn, Whose early life was overshadowed by heartache, Pain and sorrow.
Where there should have been laughter, there were tears.
Where there should have been love, there was indifference.
Where there should have been understanding, there was mis-understanding.
Where there should have been security, there was insecurity.
Where there should have been praise, there was ridicule.
Where there should have been calm, there was hostility.
Where there should have been relaxation and fun, there was toil and struggle.
Where there should have been socialisation, there was isolation.
Where there should have been warmth, there was icy cold.
(YET HER SPIRIT DID NOT BREAK)
The sun shone only rarely on this little girls face and the "Milk of Human Kindness" was sipped only occasionally. Lynn grew up scared of people and life itself. She did not even know how to smile for a long while, or recognise herself in a mirror (that particular acceptance was to come later in life).
(YET HER SPIRIT DID NOT BREAK)
Cruelty, humiliation and abuse rained down on her tender years and beyond. Lies and falsehoods were heaped upon her - Taken in and believed as absolute truths. (These had to be "unlearned" in her middle years)
(ONCE MORE HER SPIRIT DID NOT BREAK)
Inevitably, ill health and dis-ease followed. Life now became a chemically-induced false reality, a dulled-down monochrome half-life, all senses numbed, thoughts, feelings and perception distorted.
At this time, Lynn's "Depression Dragon" came to be, a character created to help explain to herself and others the dis-ease of her soul.
And yet, out of all this pain and suffering came forth gifts, love, warmth, strength, understanding, patience, determination, resilience, tenacity and many more. And, the ability to truly comprehend and empathise with others pain and sorrow, to lovingly reach out, encourage and sometimes inspire those around her, (particularly young people, with whom Lynn shared a special bond).
As in all the best fairy tales and so too in life, if we are so blessed, there is a happy ending.
For it came to be, that from the slow tortuous death of that Dragon, a beautiful princess, (Lynn now made whole), emerged. Who aimed to live her life in sunshine, not shadow, for the rest of her days.
The End
FOOTNOTE:
NB:Lynn is still slowly working towards her 'real life happy ending' -(All the small trickles of holistic healing, lead to an ocean of Wellness...) Jan 2013