A Change Of Seasons
By Michele Avanti 
                                         continued...

Once more he gazed at the sun. He sighed. Time Forgot knew as soon as the sun reached its zenith, the people would touch his mountain and he would once more feel their caress and hear their stories praising him.

He decided to go into his kitchen and eat the last almond cookie he had saved for this morning. The dragon had performed this ritual of savoring the old as he anticipated the new each season for over four thousand years. It was a fine ritual. Then Time Forgot went back to the entrance of the cave to take a nap. He knew he would wake as soon as the townspeople reached the foot of his mountain and there really was nothing else to do. So the dragon gazed at the sun one last time, closed his eyes and fell sound asleep.

When Time Forgot awoke, the sky had turned to purple and the sun had set. "What is this?" questioned the dragon. "How can it be that the townspeople have not come to the mountain? Have they forgotten me?"

Time Forgot could not believe what was happening. "Have I become so anxious I have made a mistake? Maybe this is not the last day of autumn." The dragon scurried to check his calendar, but it appeared to be correct. Then he decided to fly to the peak of the mountain and check his solar wheel. "But it is the longest night of the year. Oh what is happening? Perhaps the townspeople have made a mistake?" He thought. "Perhaps they are ill or there is a war I have missed?"

The dragon scratched his head and reconsidered his awareness, "No, I would know these things. It is something else. I bet it is connected to this feeling I have which has haunted me these past few months. I must go down to the village and find out what is wrong." Considering how his appearance frightened people, he decided to wait until everyone in Changdun was asleep.

So for the next few hours he sat at the entrance of his cave listening to the sounds of the village below.

Finally in the dark bitter cold of night, only the sound of the wind rushed up from the village. Time Forgot decided it was time to see what had happened to his little town.

The dragon flew down to Changdun. He stood at the edge of town listening. First all he noticed was snoring and sighs. Then he noticed some whispering. Somewhere in the village two people were awake. They were whispering to each other. He decided to follow their voices until he could understand them clearly.

As he got closer, he realized one voice was that of an old woman and the other, the voice of a young man. They were arguing.

"Grandmother, I don't want you telling my children those dragon stories anymore. I want my children to know that Jesus will protect them. I want them to celebrate the birth of Christ, not the Change of Seasons!"

"Sanati, you are a fool. You have forgotten what your father saw with his own eyes. You have forgotten how the dragon has protected this valley since our ancestors first settled here. Why can't you accept your own history and add this new good news? Jesus would not turn his back on the dragon that has protected your ancestors."

"Grandmother, you don't understand! The church elders have told us anyone who climbs the mountain will not be allowed in church for Christmas."

"I don't care what they say, Jesus will not turn you away and we still need to honor the dragon!"

Time Forgot could not listen any longer. His heart felt heavy. He wanted to see this church that was so much more important than him. He was hurt and angry but the wisdom of seven thousand years would not allow him to react to this sad news.

he dragon wandered through the village until he found what must be the church. It was a building that stood alone. It was dark and empty. It had big wooden doors and windows that rose from the floor to the ceiling. In the front yard of the building there was sign that read Church of The Nazarene Christmas Service 10 am December 25.

"So this is the Church that has replaced me. How will this building protect the townspeople?" thought the dragon. "I don't understand? And where are the offerings for Jesus?" Time Forgot looked at all the statues on the front lawn of the church. There were camels, sheep, men, one woman and a baby. There were no dragons. And even stranger yet, all the statues were focused on the baby.