"Dreams... inconsistent angel things...
Horses bred with star-laced wings...
But it's so hard to make them fly..."
- Sixpence None the Richer
Dreams. We all have them - or used to. There's the kind of dreams you get when you're sleeping (in those dreams I have all kinds of wierd adventures), and then there's the Dreams that are buried deep in your heart.
The seeds of those Dreams usually get planted there when we are kids, often in answer to the age old question: "What do you want to be when you grow up??"
A Ballerina, a firefighter, a superhero, a movie star, a doctor, a soccer star...
When I was little I dreamed of writing books. I used to make little books for fun, complete with pictures of course. I also dreamed of being a teacher (inspired by my favourite teacher, Mrs Hart).I certainly never dreamed of doing youth work, or working on computers, or scooping icecreams.
But I did dream of a family, a Prince Charming to sweep me off my feet and playing house. Oh boy! Hahahahahaha....
Of course the reality turned out to be a lot more gritty, and much more work that I had imagined, but now that I am living the day-to-day reality of those dreams what now? Is dreaming over for me??
No way! Because as Lava Girl said to Shark Boy: "Everything that is began with a dream..."
I have to keep dreaming, or I will lose the magic, the joy in life.
I dream for my kids. I listen to my babies and hear clues about their dreams. I start to dream along with them, about the wonderful people they can grow up to be.
A few years ago I painted in my visual journal, a page for each of the kids about what I see for them and in them, and also my prayers for them... (Scrag wasn't born yet so his page is still to come).
I came across it a few weeks ago and was amazed to find that my insights still hold true for both of them.
But it's not enough to just have dreams for my kids. I have to keep dreaming for Me too.
The other night, Mr G and I were out on a date, and we were playing a game of Truth, which kind of turned into being about our dreams and imagining stuff for the future.
We talked about what we imagine each of the kids could be when they grow up. We said where we would travel if we could go anywhere; what adventurous exploit we would do if we could; We talked about what we would do with a Million Dollars. We told each other what we would do for a job if there were no restrictions: He would be rich and help people, and would like to start a home for abused kids (wow!). Mine was humbler...
I would write books.
Yes, the seeds of our dreams are so often found in our childhood. I never did get to be a teacher, but I started an education programme for at-risk kids; I may not be writing books (yet) but this blog has rekindled that old dream of writing. Who knows what could come from it??
What about you? What were your childhood dreams?
