Visions Realized

"Before you begin a thing, remind yourself that difficulties and delays quite impossible to foresee are ahead. If you could see them clearly, naturally you could do a great deal to get rid of them but you can't. You can only see one thing clearly and that is your goal. Form a mental vision of that and cling to it through thick and thin." -Kathleen Norris

What a world this could be if we arose each morning knowing exactly what would happen that day. The entire day's events would be laid out in front of us. We would know that traffic was going to be nightmarish and that first cup of coffee gets spilled on a report due later in the morning.

We could plan that lunch time meal is going to be great and that the afternoon will be filled with lots of bathroom breaks due to the salad dressing. The work day is going to end with your boss congratulating you on a great report despite the coffee stain. The evening sets up to be very relaxing before you will head off to sleep.

Having this type of vision would be great for planning where you are headed and how you will get there. You will be able to avoid the spilled coffee and that lunch time salad. But too bad to say, our life isn't that simple to foresee. All we can do is set our sight on a goal to achieve; for the day; for the week; for our life.

What happens many times is out of our control. What is in our control is how we react to it. If we hold onto the vision of what we want, then our path remains in focus. Now granted, the path is unlikely to be straight and easy. In fact, your vision may appear to be off in one direction while the road is leading in another.

Keep the vision in sight, correct your path towards that vision and you will eventually reach it. Overcome the daily obstacles that you know will come into your life. Accept that the path isn't necessarily easy. You will succeed at reaching your vision, believe in it.

Achieving Dreams

Two years of writing about life and offering just a small amount of advice to help each of us get through life a bit easier. I've had great responses from many folks and had people from all over the world read my ramblings.

When I started out in August 2005, I wasn't quite sure where this blog would take me. It has changed me in different ways. I believe it has helped others and some of those responses I've gotten encouraged me to continue writing. My intention is to compile many of the stories and writings into a book compiling the first two years.

To make any money isn't the primary goal and what I have made goes into a charity. Goodness should flow through you into others so that they can benefit as well. To help each other, to give encouragement makes all the difference in the world. I have had support and kindness from others through out my life. Returning the same to others is something all of us should strive to do.

Phil Pringle has said "never under estimate the power of a vision that is in your mind." Many of us have a dream to accomplish something. A vision that we think about in those quiet moments. You are not destined to simply wish for that to come true.

Each of us have the ability to get up and begin movement towards that vision. It isn't others or circumstance keeping you from it. You can get up and begin the steps to achieve. It is going to be difficult and there are no guarantees of success. Yet you will never "grab the brass ring" if you don't reach out and try.

I'm on my way to something with this blog. It is taking me on a journey that began at a crossroads of decision. Walk through that door and choose a path.

All Of Us Have Dreams

"Get a dream for your life, regardless of your age or position." - Jill Sweetman

This week I have been working in India and this being my first time here, it is a pleasure getting to know the people and culture. As I have seen throughout my travels is at one level, people around the world are the same. Each of us sleeps, get up in the morning, get the kids ready for school, struggle with traffic on the way to work and deal with work stresses through out the day.

We also have to commute home, get dinner ready, reconnect with our family or maybe attend a function (soccer practice, school play, religious event) and then come home, prepare for bed and try to get to sleep. All in an effort to repeat it again the next day. As my parents said to me years ago, "people all around the world, regardless of ethnicity, class or location put their pants on one leg at a time." A lesson simply to show how much alike all of us are.

In travelling back and forth between the hotel and office, a regular driver picks me up and returns me to the hotel each day. Not that I am above driving, traffic here in India is certainly different then what I am used to. If I were to drive, I would be more of an impediment to others on the road. So for an hour each way, each day, I have the opportunity to talk with my driver.

His name is Mitra and has been a pleasure to be with. A young man with a child and a wife due to give birth at any time to twins. Life has the same concerns for him as any would have any place in the world. Things concerning the health of his wife and as yet unborn children, how will I pay the medical bills, will I get enough work, on and on and on. The stress of driving in this type of traffic and the potential for an accident. Anything you can think of is a potential conceren for another person any place on this planet (with obvious exceptions).

Mitra though is such an upbeat person about all that is of concern. He understands and appreciates all that he has. His attitude is so positive that he opens himself to opportunity that will present itself. Faith and belief in what is good and in his own ability says alot about him. He also has a dream that sustains him. He believes in that dream and I for one believe he can achieve it.

Establish a vision, a dream for your own life. Believe in that dream, act upon it and you will eventually realize your dream. All around the world, people have dreams...each of us can attain them at some level. Continue to believe in yourself.