I was reading about Chinese dragon philosophy today. The I-Ching speaks of the dragon progressing through 6 levels, from a young hatchling up through a successful wing-leader. But the 6th level is not the best. Achieving the 6th level means there’s nowhere left to go, and no company.
It’s the same when I fly too high. Every young dragon tries it at some point. My wings have to work harder to stay up there, and at the same time I have to breathe harder to keep my wings moving. It’s not at all fun any more. The view is spectacular, but there’s only so long I can flap and pant and look around before down starts looking pretty good. And the view is nearly as good from a more comfortable level where I can enjoy it.
I think those Chinese dragons were pretty smart.
