I remember many days even as a young child where I would dream of doing incredible things instead of being confined to a classroom. One day in particular sticks out in my mind. I was in 6th grade and I was staring outside through the windows while the lesson was going on. I felt the playground calling me and I felt like I was there as I stared intently out the window. Some people call it daydreaming but I felt alive while in those dreams. I do admit I became a professional daydreamer throughout Junior High and High School and reached my peak in College. This was until that kid inside of me, the one that was staring through the window at the playground, decided that enough was enough. I will never forget the day I decided that I was going to make something happen in my life, one way or another. I was 22 years old and pulled out of the driveway and headed west.
This leap of faith led me to Los Angeles where I met my amazing wife. Her belief in me made me realize I could do anything I set out to accomplish. So many times in my life I have felt scared that I wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything or provide for a family. I realize now that we need to draw on hope, courage and belief from any place we can. For me it is from my faith, my wife and kids and yes…even from my dreams. Whatever it is for you, find it and use it.
I don’t write this to make myself sound like a success, because I believe success is a never ending process. Success to me is simply the consistent pursuit of a worthy goal. I write this because I have met many people recently that have experienced some things that I couldn’t imagine experiencing and I see them gain strength from many places… and that makes them a success.
There is a story I love about when Disneyworld was completed and they had the opening celebration to celebrate the great accomplishment. Walt Disney had already past away at this point but Disneyworld was a dream of his so it was a significant occasion. Someone turned to Walt Disney’s wife and said “It’s too bad Walt wasn’t here to see this.” Walt’s wife responded with “Oh Walt saw this long before any of us ever did.”
Dreams become reality. If you want something enough….go and get it! Even if it means taking the road less traveled.
The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
and sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
and looked down one as far as I could
to where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
and having perhaps the better claim
because it was grassy and wanted wear;
though as for that, the passing there
had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
in leaves no feet had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less travelled by,
and that has made all the difference
