Sandman Reflections (Part 3a): After The Quest

I'm now more powerful than I have been in eons. And yet ...

Here you are, feeding the pigeons

I'd had a true quest. A purpose beyond my function, and then suddenly, it was over, and I felt disappointed. Let down. Empty. Does that make sense? I was so sure that once I got everything back, I'd feel good. But in some ways I feel worse than when I started. I feel like nothing.

Sandman: The Sound Of Her Wings

This is the third in a series of posts where I will be exploring some of the themes of Sandman. I am focusing on the Netflix series since I read the comics long enough ago I would not be able to tell the differences lol.

While I am more focused on ideas/themes there will be references that might be considered spoilers. So if you have not seen the show yet watch it on Netflix (Please watch so we have a better chance of getting a season 2)

After The Quest

By Dreaming Ace

What is there to do once the quest is over

Once the tools have been collected

And everything is back in its place

What is there to do once we have returned

To our day to day lives and found they 

Have not changed as much as we hoped for

What is there to do once we have completed our task

But now we feel empty inside

But now we feel "like nothing"

We go on so many quests

We go on so many side quests

We go on so many adventures

But sometimes all those quests

Turn out not to be what we were seeking

"I'm now powerful than I have been in eons. And yet ..."

What is our purpose

What is our function

What is our purpose beyond our function

I had the chance to get to an online viewing of this episode with much of the cast and Neil Gaiman himself and what stood out was Neil Gaiman talking about how we don't talk about after the quest as often as we should. 

While I have not gone on any quests as one of the Endless I do know the numbness that can occur once something we have worked towards is done. Whether that is checking something off our to-do list, completing a challenge of some type, or accomplishing something that has meaning for us personally or professionally.

This let down is important to think about. I have often found myself in a position where I could speak Dream's words "I'm now more powerful than I have been in eons. And yet ..." It is important to speak to this feeling because when you are in the middle of it it can feel like there was no reason to go on the quest to begin with. 

It turns out that these feels are typical and normal and experienced by almost all of us. This does not mean that something is wrong, but can mean that we need to reconnect to something. Reconnect to life or death or nature or other beings.