as long as we keep believing… a gathered thought

*I was recently invited by my friend Kamille over at Redeeming the Table to participate in a Gathered Thoughts Link Party for LoveFeast Table using the following quote from their new 365 Gathered Thoughts Box as a writing prompt*

“We all have our own life to pursue, Our own kind of dream to be weaving…
And we all have the power
To make wishes come true,
As long as we keep believing.”

–Louisa May Alcott

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”  The question is not an unfamiliar one, the answers, too, are ones that we recognize.  Doctor, princess, firefighter, teacher.  As children we have no concept of limitation.  We firmly believe that one day we will walk on the moon, be in a rock band or rope cattle.  I myself had a deep desire to train killer whales.  I could see myself in the cool neoprene suit, tanned and confident and totally in charge of a giant animal (my back up plan was rock star).  These desires often change as we grow.  We find our interests shifting, our circumstances changing.  Sometimes we stumble upon a path, other times it’s the same one we’ve walked diligently since childhood.

I watch my children grow, I see their personalities continue to form and I wish for them the ability to hold on to their dreams.  We live in a world where the glut of the day-to-day threatens to snatch our dreams away.  “Get real”  people say.  “Be realistic!”  Is there room for our dreams?  Must we give up our deep desires?  Or do we fight for those moments, those precious moments where anything and everything  is possible!

I think that the desires of our hearts are gifts from a loving Heavenly Father who understands the value and importance of a dream.  Whether it seems a mundane dream or an unobtainable one, God places these dreams in our hearts as a way of revealing Himself to us.  Following our dreams gives us the opportunity to watch God work in amazing ways.

So don’t be afraid to dream big.  You can be a superhero (even if only to your children), a princess (even if your husband’s the only one who sees it), a rock star (even if it’s only in the shower).

I only have one last question… what do you want to be when you grow up?

*Please stop by LoveFeast Table and check out all the other wonderful writers who have been inspired!