spreading wings
Sunday, April 27, 2008 at 12:42 PM 
I love the beautiful "randomness" of the world; the universe. Having written and thought about dreams over the last several days, I was not at all surprised to see this "random" computer-generated thought appear in my inbox today:
So what of dreaming and following our heart's desire? Do those who dream more do more? Or do they simply enjoy more of what they do? This all reminds me of another favorite quote of mine by Howard Thurman. Some of you might recognize it:
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
In my last post, I used the word "calling" in association with returning to graduate school to pursue a degree in counseling psychology. Having been a traditionalist, a conformist, whatever you want to call it, most of my life, I was used to functioning by practicalities like, Get a degree that is marketable. (I chose accounting.) Believe in God. (I found myself in a fundamental-based tradition.) Practical car. (Toyota mini-van.) House? (Two story, white house with room for children.) Get the picture?
Now please don't get me wrong, because I am not knocking any of those things. I chose them, after all, and they have been a formative part of my life. My point, however, is that it was not until I allowed myself to dream & listen (step out of "practical" patterns perhaps) that I ever began to really hear the call of my life. And, Now, the possibilities seem endless where before they felt quite finite. I began to spread my wings!
While at Mars Hill Graduate School I heard the word "calling" used often during my early years. It sounded good and began to stir something inside me, but it was not really until last week when I heard my supervisor say, "Listen to you! What a wonderful time of your life. You have found your calling!" Did I find it or did it find me? Somehow it was through the words of another that I started to understand that MY dream and MY calling are uniquely intertwined.
Random? Created? Unique? Those three things also seem intricately intertwined with each other as well as with dreams and calling. Where will they all lead? Who knows, but it is exciting to ponder. I find it amazing to see what happens when I can let go and quit trying to guess what is practical or acceptable or marketable or even possible...
So, what does the universe hold for you? Are you open to the possibilities that lie ahead? Will you allow yourself the chance to dream and listen today? It is often hard to know what the call may be or from where it comes, but one thing I do know is that a bird must spread its wings in order to fly ☺.
lucy's photos from puerta vallarta
Reader Comments (11)
Your post reminds me of burning bushes that are not consumed. Unless we open our eyes to see them, we may not even recognize that they exist.
It seems you have seen with the eyes of a seeker. You have also opened your mind and heart to the lessons of a burning bush that is not consumed.
Continue to share the warmth.
D
Beautiful photos and words lucy!
I love the image of your calling finding you. I tend to believe that as much as we are invited to discern our heart's deepest desires (the ones St Ignatius said Gopd planted there), that we are also found by the things we love. My practice is as much listening to my own dreams as listening to the dreams of creation around me and what the next thing I am being called into.
This is a wonderful time of your life and I am blessed to be a part of it.
Much love, C
A truly wonderful time of life - learning to fly. Learning to fly into unpredictable or maybe just unimagined skies. Successful flight takes us even farther doesn't it - please, sir, more dreams.....we're hungry:)
A wonderful post and photos!
xoxo
Like Christine, I believe God plants those dreams in us like a siren song that calls us all our lives. The path may not be straight, but it does lead somewhere we are meant to go. The Benedictine rule starts off with the word Listen! We live so on the surface and do not listen to what is going on inside us.
If not now, when?
G-Dude--i love the image of a burning bush (desire/dream) that is not consumed. it is especially meaningful coming from you because i seem to recall a little misunderstanding over that "burning bush thing" a couple of years ago :-)
thanks for your continued encouragement.
C--i am blessed to have your wisdom and friendship. xoxoxoxo
SS--yep, those little tastes of success and dream fulfillment can carry us a long way. it's great to be "hungry" and not "starving"!!!
barbara--the 'siren song' definitely resonates with me as well as does a 'not straight path'. inspiring words. thank you so much for sharing them!
You are my hero! I would love to return to school ... actually, I would be a student forever if I could. For me, I try to keep the balance between my dreamer, idealistic side and the practical, living in the real world side. Not easy sometimes.
It's good to be back in blogland again and to make it here this morning. As always, you're words are right on time.
I am learning to learn how to be open.... I have always been a dreamer and a listener. I have not always known what to do with my dreams and what I think I hear.
I want to learn to fly.
Honesty.
Your posts have really been resonating with me lately (more so than usual, I mean). I think I have always known my calling (fiction writing), but I have struggled with feeling I should do something "real" and that I shouldn't be selfish and take time to do the art.
Every time I stray from my path, my dreams get more intense. They tell me over and over that something is wrong.
I'm also coming to believe (I have known, yet haven't believed) that I'm supposed to live my dream. It's not selfish, it's MEANT. And if do my thing, I make the world better simply because I am not messed up. And maybe, I'm giving someone else courage to live their dream.
What a beautiful post. I really enjoyed reading it, as it mirrors a little of what I'm doing as well. Lovely blog. Nice to meet you. Peace. Tammy
dream--aren't we really all students if we just allow ourselves to grow and learn? so, nice to have you back here and i look forward to seeing what's bubbling in you!
h.m. i love this "learning to learn how to be open!" when i read your last word the first time i read "honestly"...now i see it says "honesty"...curious :-) glad to have you here!
karen--well said. listen to your heart and GO FOR IT!!! courage is contagious :-)
welcome & thank you, tammy. nice to meet you, too. i hope you will stop by again.
Lucy,
My use of the word "honesty" was a terce way of saying that I what I was writing was straight and unfiltered from my gut at that moment.