true fantasy is real

having devoted so much of my reading to fantasy, you must forgive my air of wisdom.
true fantasy is reality. and not even, as some would say, expressed reality that uses the fabric of fantasy to show us the reality we live in.
true fantasy is all that is the most real in this world.

it is the essence of what and who we are, the shape of our thoughts and the color of our actions, the mind of truth. it isnt the truth, but it holds a mirror.
you see, we are not truth. we are fantasy. just as the world is.
and that is why we delight in fantasy. it isnt escape from this world, but the way we grasp at our totality.
read some of the great authors - J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Ursula K. leGuin, Steven R. Donaldson, Orson Scott Card(Seventh Son series), Lloyd Alexander, G.K. Chesterton, Robert Jordan.
they resonate within our soul because their fantasy is almost real.
to see frodo sail into the west.
to know that aslan was no tame lion.
to find that the shadow you cast comes from your soul.
to realize that absolution heals all wounds
to catch a glimpse of that crystal city
to grow unaware into a man and find true love
to brave all for love
to live, duty a sword...

and that is why fantasy is done a disservice by the prattling on about wizards, ogres, dragons, elves, witches, minotaurs, dark elves, mages, sorcerors, knights, magical beasts and fairies.

like all great fiction, its only worth it if its about people. and if you'll notice, even the beasties have human attributes. would we pay any attention to them otherwise... ?

where it goes beyond common fiction is in embracing the possibility of the real.
and that is why i love it.
and one day, when it becomes our reality, i'll say,
i told you so.