On Dreams Deferred. . .

Sometimes there is so much more to life than simply writing about it. Yet I pause and really do believe in the power of the written word.  An old Chinese proverb comes to mind, "Hear and I forget.  See and I remember. Do and I understand."  When I write it out. . .it might sink in.  It might embed itself deep in the the history of my memory and sometimes I may come to realize things about myself, others, or the world.

Once, a very long time ago, I had a dream.  My dream was to be a published author.  Then my dream was to go into communications in college.  Finally, I played it safe and went into teaching.  Teaching blended the best of two worlds: content I enjoyed with kids who I loved.  But my dream vanished to the backburner of my mind.  It only resurfaced recently with my students in writing class, as a little girl shared her ambition to write a book.  I began to cheer her on and then realized I could even share my first book with her, written at about eight years old.  And as we journal back and forth, it's not the dream that has ignited something in me, but the idea of possibility that has exploded into my mind.

Stepping away from the safety of the classroom has broadened my world in every way.  It feels ripe with opportunity.  Ripe with possibility.  Ripe and ready for the picking.  What an interesting, unfamiliar concept! Playing it safe brought about stability and peace; however, this broad world view feels lo large, so grand and so full of promise!  What a feeling to hold on to, to seek, to be open to both the old and new dreams He puts upon my heart.  Now this is what I call living!