Now that I have your attention, this article could actually be called, “How I lost the love of the brick…and found it again bit by bit through LEGO dragons, inspiration from a TFOL, and laughing at least 50 times a day at a LEGO fan weekend.” Let’s begin.
Losing Your Love of LEGO
I always used to feel bemused when I heard that people had lost their love of the brick. I felt shocked when people admitted to the fact that they had lost their love of and interest in LEGO and were making the hard decision to sell their collections.
Living in a mostly neurotypical world as a neurodivergent person, it is often a confusing place for me. I have spent most of my life trying hard to fit in. The LEGO and AFOL worlds are one of very few places where I have felt at home, slotted in, without having to make lots of efforts to prove myself worthy of having a place in that space.
When I found myself losing the love of the brick, I felt lost and confused because I felt like I was slipping away from one of the few places where I fit in. I no longer wanted to display my builds at exhibitions, I was unmotivated to build any of my backlog of sets and I could not engage my imagination to think of new MOCs.
Dragons to the Rescue
If you know me, I can often be found with two or three plush dragons keeping me company. I find the dragon to be a comforting presence in my life and see dragons as strong and loyal creatures, so it is unsurprising that dragons helped me to gently re-enter the world of LEGO.
How convenient that 2024 is the Chinese year of the dragon. The Year of the Dragon gift with purchase (set 40611) certainly peaked my interest, and I was excited to build the Spring Festival Auspicious Dragon (set 801120) as soon as I received it.
However the set that truly re-ignited a spark of creativity in me was the small Creator Red Dragon (31145). The expression of the character of the dragon could not fail to make me smile. To me, he is cheerful, full of life, and certainly isn’t sweating the small stuff. This small fellow led me down a path where my focus was on created a rainbow of companions for him.
Many hours were spent on BrickLink making wish lists of parts, and making compromises for the instances in which some pieces did not exist in all of the desired colours. I lost count of the number of BrickLink orders but the results are a delightful array of colourful dragons. The purple and rainbow ones are my favourites.
I went down a path of looking further into LEGO dragons which saw me turning two other small LEGO dragon sets into a multitude of colours as you can see from my display at Skaerbaek.
The Skaerbaek Effect
Skaerbaek 2024 came around, and there was a mixture of excitement and trepidation after having spent so long out of loop with the LEGO and AFOL communities. As I walked through the security gates at Billund airport and was met with the smiles of an awesome family, the fun, the awesomeness, the sense of belonging engulfed me.
A spectacular day was had at LEGO House, I was mesmerised by the Golden Dragon in the Masterpiece Gallery! Lots of laughs were had getting the opportunity to buy the new LEGO Board Game, Monkey Palace. My anxieties melted away and I can only thank Mitchell and his family for making sure I felt comfortable and happy and ensuring that we all laughed at least a hundred times a day.
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Kindred Spirits
Let me take a moment to tell you a little about Mitchell Bongers, a neurodivergent kindred spirit, who last year brought a MOC to Skaerbaek that blew my mind. It was a MOC that brought me so much joy that I showed it to everyone I know (unfortunately I don’t know that many people). I was so inspired by the storytelling, creativity and heart that was in his MOC (Inside My Head) and it resonated so much with me that I wanted to show it to others so that they could share in the joy. I was fascinated watching him talk to a variety of people about his MOC. I was also blessed to meet his amazing parents, leading me to spend an amazing fan weekend with them this year.
I think if anyone finds themselves in a LEGO slump, that they need some Mitchell time. He never ceased to amaze me the whole weekend. He approaches everything with a smile and enthusiasm and is able to start conversations with anyone and everyone, bringing them joy in the process. Watching the event through his eyes, and seeing him take hold of every opportunity to interact with LEGO fans and LEGO designers alike. Even better is seeing people beam and speak with delight about their interactions with him.
Another meaningful dragon moment for me at Skaerbaek this year was attending Richard Jones (from The Rambling Brick) presentation about the “Year of the LEGO Dragon.” I am always in a good mood when looking at pictures of LEGO dragons, and Richard had been busy with his camera that weekend taking pictures of dragon builds at the event. Seeing my colourful dragons on his presentation made me feel on top of the world! So thank you, Richard; and thank you, Mitchell, Tracey and Erwin for sharing a wonderful weekend full of glimmers.
Reigniting the Spark
Looking back, I realize that LEGO has always been more than just a hobby for me—it’s been a refuge, a source of inspiration, and, above all, a community that celebrates creativity and connection. Rediscovering my love for building through dragons and friendships has rekindled my creativity in ways I never anticipated.
This path back to joy wasn’t a solo adventure but one filled with laughter, new memories, and the reminder that sometimes, all it takes is a little spark (and a lot of dragons) to reignite the fire.
Have you fallen out of love with LEGO? Let us know in the comments below.
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