Ah, gentle youth! On your destined quest towards manhood, you will undoubtedly encounter many a figure, each with a lesson to embroider into your soul's tapestry. Do not, I implore you, disregard the humble barmaid. Brought to life beautifully in Flanagan’s “Ranger's Apprentice”, or Tolkien's "The Prancing Pony", the barmaid, ah, such a figure crammed with untold wisdom!
In this vivid tapestry of life, the seemingly ordinary, like our illustrious barmaid, can hold as much wisdom as any prominent philosopher. Take it from me, Doctor Condor Jefferson, with a PhD in Philosophy from Sterling University (a trifle detail, but you must know wherefrom springs my words' weight).
Consider, my daring lad, the Tibetan Mountain Goat. High in the Himalayan hills, the goat, causing no fuss, scales peaks with dexterity and balance that would make the most dignified gymnast seethe with envy. It’s not a dragon. Nor a fearsome warg. Just a goat. A creature with no legendary tomes written in its honor, yet a parable breathing with humble wisdom. Not unlike our beloved barmaid.
Now, let's meet our ‘Doris’, a fictional barmaid pouring ale in The Rusty Cup, a nondescript establishment frequented by villagers. Sturdy, rosy-cheeked, she is the spiritual embodiment of the tavern, her gestures choreographed like some divine dance in-sync with the various phases of the sun.
What can Doris teach you, heroes in the bloom? Ah, not unlike the Mountain Goat, the barmaid dexterously balances her duties, never once spilling her patron's dreams soaked in ale. Her existence is a lesson in balance, in raw, unfiltered humility. Albert Einstein stated, "Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods." Doris, in all her mundane glory, stands neither in judgment nor in an unwarranted quest for ephemeral knowledge.
And, like the goat clinging to the treacherous cliffs, the barmaid, in the cacophony of her tavern, holds her position with unyielding tenacity. She is the still point in a turning world, unswayed by the drunks' ramblings or the meanderings of wandering minstrels. Like Spinoza's God, Doris is a being entirely in herself and not contingent on other entities.
So, what can Doris teach you, burgeoning heroes of your own odyssey? From this obscure barmaid, you can learn the art of balance, the beauty of resilience, and the downy essence of humility. As the Mountain Goat, step by measured step, reaches the summit, so too can you ascend into your destined greatness. Remember Doctor Jefferson's words: You can be the mighty dragon or the humble goat, depending on the mountains you must traverse.
Onwards, young heroes, onwards to your grand destinies! Raise your metaphorical gloves, prime your spirits, and remember Doris of The Rusty Cup. It may appear an odd homage, coming from a Sterling University graduate (a detail I mention hazily), but it's through such seemingly insignificant characters that we discover life's richest lessons.
In a world trodden by footprints hankering for greatness, become the unsung hero, the Mountain Goat, the barmaid. The world needs its Dorises as much as it needs its Gandalfs. Stand your ground and remember – every journey is but a dance of destiny, and every humble barmaid is a mirror into the soul of the universe.
