About Me and Gryphon Mountain

For a long time, gryphons (alternatively spelled “griffins” or “griffons”) have intrigued me. I have long held an interest in mythology—probably the storyteller in me—and strange animals play a prominent part in many myths and legends. Dragons and unicorns are well known, but the gryphon—here’s a creature that is a hybrid of two majestic creatures: lion and eagle. They are kings of both earth and sky.

I identify with gryphons on some level. They have a dual nature, both parts of them are majestic. Similarly, I and all human beings can become more than we are. We have something of nobility—not blood that entitles us to perquisites in life, but innate qualities that, if magnified, make us better people. And while the gryphon is a hybrid of predatory animals, suggesting their power, in mythology they were not hostile unless threatened.

Mountains are also fascinating to me. Ancient, solid, they are signs of the power of nature. But no matter how many thousands of feet they reach into the sky, humans have found ways to surmount them. Mountains inspire us to look up and think about ascending to a higher level. Though I am not a mountain climber, I do enjoy hikes, and sometimes I find myself looking at mountains and thinking about what it would be like to hike the slopes as high as I could go.

A Personal Note

I work for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah in the United States. As a technical communicator, I produce documentation and training on applications that are produced in-house. Writing is what I do, and when I die, the mortician will have to pry the keyboard loose from my cold, dead clutches. I also enjoy drawing, so you’ll see some sketches on this site from time to time.

Please note: Lest any case of mistaken identity arise, there is a Ben Minson on Facebook, and it’s not me.