"Just a boy, just an ordinary boy, but he was looking to the sky."
Tevin looked up into the shadowy evening sky and saw a hawk soaring above. For one split second, he knew he could fly. Not in an airplane or with jet pack. Not even with wings. Just him, sailing into the sky in his plain human body.
He found the though disconcerting and he tried to shake it away. So Tevin stopped looking at the sky and put his attention back on the 7th grade science exams he was grading. But that night he dreamed of flying, of seeing his house from a bird's eye view.
And the thought lingered. Tevin found himself having dreams of flying nearly every night. He would find himself absentmindedly searching articles about human flight on the internet. Of course the results would always be Superman images or some other science fiction/superhero reference.
But one day things changed. Tevin was again out on his back porch in the evening hours. A beautiful sunset stretched out in front of him. And Tevin was beginning the task of preparing future lesson plans for a new subject area, anatomy. Tevin opened the teacher's guide edition of the science book with the full intent to put together a lesson plan that provided a comprehensive, albeit brief, look at the entire body. But he never made it past the brain.
Specifically, Tevin got lost in a small subsection of the guide book entitled "The Mysteries of the Brain". Here, there was discussion about the untapped potential of the human brain. About how people with genius-level intelligence, musical prodigies, reputed psychics, and even some people with autism tapped into some parts of the brain that were dormant in the rest.
Tevin again thought of flying. But this time he didn't think with the imagination of a child but with the clarity of a scientist. And he decided that it was more than possible, it was doable. He decided that he would be the one to do it.
Showing posts with label dreams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dreams. Show all posts
Friday, July 9, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
human nature
"If this town is just an apple, then let me take a bite."
There were those that came with disillusioned hope. Dreams of starring in Broadway's biggest acts. Visions of walking runways during Fashion Week. These were the ones distracted by the bright lights and lost into the neverending night. But this was not to be the story of Jordan Hill.
Jordan left his home, a small town in North Carolina, to move to New York. He came for more than the glitz though. He found a small loft for rent in Brooklyn. He had a view of Manhattan across the bridge. His neighborhood was filled with interesting people, a diversity that went far beyond something as predictable as race.
He secured a job as a paralegal at a top law firm before he came, due mainly to a glowing recommendation from his previous boss, a partner at a small but respected firm in Raleigh. He worked long hours in Manhattan. Jordan relished the work and even started looking into local law schools.
But Jordan really came for something he could never get in North Carolina. He spent his free time hanging out in Central Park, seeing plays and shows throughout the city, dining at a different restaurant and cafe whenever he could. He came to simply live a life he couldn't back home. The exposure to so many cultures of people. The opportunity to see and hear and do almost anything he could imagine. The fast pace of the city that made him feel more alive than he ever had before.
Jordan didn't come here with dreams of making it big. He didn't come with plans to live up the night life. He didn't even come with hopes of living the posh life on the Upper East Side. Jordan's arrival in New York had been the plan, had brought him hope, and was already more than he could have ever dreamed.
There were those that came with disillusioned hope. Dreams of starring in Broadway's biggest acts. Visions of walking runways during Fashion Week. These were the ones distracted by the bright lights and lost into the neverending night. But this was not to be the story of Jordan Hill.
Jordan left his home, a small town in North Carolina, to move to New York. He came for more than the glitz though. He found a small loft for rent in Brooklyn. He had a view of Manhattan across the bridge. His neighborhood was filled with interesting people, a diversity that went far beyond something as predictable as race.
He secured a job as a paralegal at a top law firm before he came, due mainly to a glowing recommendation from his previous boss, a partner at a small but respected firm in Raleigh. He worked long hours in Manhattan. Jordan relished the work and even started looking into local law schools.
But Jordan really came for something he could never get in North Carolina. He spent his free time hanging out in Central Park, seeing plays and shows throughout the city, dining at a different restaurant and cafe whenever he could. He came to simply live a life he couldn't back home. The exposure to so many cultures of people. The opportunity to see and hear and do almost anything he could imagine. The fast pace of the city that made him feel more alive than he ever had before.
Jordan didn't come here with dreams of making it big. He didn't come with plans to live up the night life. He didn't even come with hopes of living the posh life on the Upper East Side. Jordan's arrival in New York had been the plan, had brought him hope, and was already more than he could have ever dreamed.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
gotta figure this out
"Don't wake me cause I'm dreaming in color."
These are beautiful places and magical lands
Grass grows a brilliant violet
And they imagine themselves running through fields barefoot
Until the soles of their feet match the grass
Trees walk with them, hand in branch
Telling stories of times long forgotten
The sagas of the heroic and the lyrics of epic love
And the leaves turn gold and orange but never fall
The sun always shines
Red hot during the day so they can eat ice cream
Bright blue at night so the monsters stay in the closet
While stars blaze blue like the sun and almost close enough to reach
Yet their dream always ends
Sudden gray clouds warn them that their little bodies have betrayed them with waking
And they wake to a world that their pain keeps black and white
Where each has their own, very real monster
These are beautiful places and magical lands
Grass grows a brilliant violet
And they imagine themselves running through fields barefoot
Until the soles of their feet match the grass
Trees walk with them, hand in branch
Telling stories of times long forgotten
The sagas of the heroic and the lyrics of epic love
And the leaves turn gold and orange but never fall
The sun always shines
Red hot during the day so they can eat ice cream
Bright blue at night so the monsters stay in the closet
While stars blaze blue like the sun and almost close enough to reach
Yet their dream always ends
Sudden gray clouds warn them that their little bodies have betrayed them with waking
And they wake to a world that their pain keeps black and white
Where each has their own, very real monster
Friday, June 12, 2009
forever
"It's like I waited my whole life for this one night."
Marlene was exhausted. The sun had been blazing all day. She thought some relief would come when the desert night rolled in, that a breeze would arrive to bring some comfort. But there would be no alleviation tonight. The stale, dry hot air remained.
Her crew was tired too. After all, they had been toiling out in that same heat as Marlene. She knew they all needed a rest, but the expedition only had funding for one more week. Each day, each minute were crucial.
And she knew this would be the last time she would have this opportunity. This was her third trip to Egypt. Marlene knew the pharoah's treasure was buried, she was nearly certain it was buried here. But she couldn't imagine that after three failed attempts she would be able to convince someone to sponsor another search.
An hour later, and with no find today of large or small significance, Marlene was ready to send everyone home. She was even considering a later start to the day tomorrow just to give the crew more time to recover. Then the whistle sounded. Each digger had a whistle they blew when they found something. Once for something small, twice for something moderate, and thrice for a big find.
Marlene put down her shovel and turned to the direction she thought the sound had come from. The whistle blew again. She began to walk towards the origin of the sound, hoping that whatever this trinket was could salvage morale.
The whistle blew again. Marlene quickened her pace. Her mind became alert again, but she restrained her optimism. After a few minutes of brisk walking, she came up on a jubilant digger. She didn't know this guy's name but surmised he could be no more than 20 years old. She was prepared to dismiss his excitement as naivete until she saw Joann, her assistant. Joann had tears in her eyes.
Marlene looked down and gasped in disbelief. Unearthed were three stairs, each with the distinctive emblem of the pharoah engraved on them. This was it. These were the stairs to the tomb, to the treasure.
And she sat there on the top stair. She cried, she smiled, she dreamed, she shouted. Her crew sat there with her in awe. Marlene could imagine the days and weeks to come. The uncovering, the fanfare. But she couldn't imagine that anything could be better than this night. This moment when it was just her and the realization of a dream.
Marlene was exhausted. The sun had been blazing all day. She thought some relief would come when the desert night rolled in, that a breeze would arrive to bring some comfort. But there would be no alleviation tonight. The stale, dry hot air remained.
Her crew was tired too. After all, they had been toiling out in that same heat as Marlene. She knew they all needed a rest, but the expedition only had funding for one more week. Each day, each minute were crucial.
And she knew this would be the last time she would have this opportunity. This was her third trip to Egypt. Marlene knew the pharoah's treasure was buried, she was nearly certain it was buried here. But she couldn't imagine that after three failed attempts she would be able to convince someone to sponsor another search.
An hour later, and with no find today of large or small significance, Marlene was ready to send everyone home. She was even considering a later start to the day tomorrow just to give the crew more time to recover. Then the whistle sounded. Each digger had a whistle they blew when they found something. Once for something small, twice for something moderate, and thrice for a big find.
Marlene put down her shovel and turned to the direction she thought the sound had come from. The whistle blew again. She began to walk towards the origin of the sound, hoping that whatever this trinket was could salvage morale.
The whistle blew again. Marlene quickened her pace. Her mind became alert again, but she restrained her optimism. After a few minutes of brisk walking, she came up on a jubilant digger. She didn't know this guy's name but surmised he could be no more than 20 years old. She was prepared to dismiss his excitement as naivete until she saw Joann, her assistant. Joann had tears in her eyes.
Marlene looked down and gasped in disbelief. Unearthed were three stairs, each with the distinctive emblem of the pharoah engraved on them. This was it. These were the stairs to the tomb, to the treasure.
And she sat there on the top stair. She cried, she smiled, she dreamed, she shouted. Her crew sat there with her in awe. Marlene could imagine the days and weeks to come. The uncovering, the fanfare. But she couldn't imagine that anything could be better than this night. This moment when it was just her and the realization of a dream.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
good life
"I always had a passion for flashing. Before I had it I closed my eyes and imagined."
Mattie dreamed big. She would sit on the concrete blocks her family used as steps outside their trailer home. She would close her eyes.
In summertime she dreamed of beaches. Palm trees, ten feet tall. Soft, thick sand that her feet sank into as she walked. An endless ocean in front of her, and the salty sweet smell that accompanied it.
In winter she dreamed of snow-capped wonderlands. She pictured herself at a ski lodge. The fresh smell of snow surrounding her. The startling bursts of wind. The invigorating rush as she skied downhill.
And on particularly bad days, Mattie dreamed about the home she would have. Luxurious carpet and ornate rugs in every room. Cathedral ceilings. A kitchen with two refrigerators. Jacuzzi bathtubs in every bathroom. A library and an office.
A walk-in closet. And, yes, Mattie imagined the clothes. Couture gowns. A wall of shoes. Silk and cashmere. Purses and totes in every size. An outfit for every occasion. Jewelry dripping in diamonds, rubies, emeralds.
Mattie had big dreams. She lived quietly, as her dreams and her determination grew together. She would sit on her concrete steps and imagine the adventures she would have. And then she would walk inside her trailer, sit at the tiny desktop in the kitchen, and make her dreams come true.
Mattie dreamed big. She would sit on the concrete blocks her family used as steps outside their trailer home. She would close her eyes.
In summertime she dreamed of beaches. Palm trees, ten feet tall. Soft, thick sand that her feet sank into as she walked. An endless ocean in front of her, and the salty sweet smell that accompanied it.
In winter she dreamed of snow-capped wonderlands. She pictured herself at a ski lodge. The fresh smell of snow surrounding her. The startling bursts of wind. The invigorating rush as she skied downhill.
And on particularly bad days, Mattie dreamed about the home she would have. Luxurious carpet and ornate rugs in every room. Cathedral ceilings. A kitchen with two refrigerators. Jacuzzi bathtubs in every bathroom. A library and an office.
A walk-in closet. And, yes, Mattie imagined the clothes. Couture gowns. A wall of shoes. Silk and cashmere. Purses and totes in every size. An outfit for every occasion. Jewelry dripping in diamonds, rubies, emeralds.
Mattie had big dreams. She lived quietly, as her dreams and her determination grew together. She would sit on her concrete steps and imagine the adventures she would have. And then she would walk inside her trailer, sit at the tiny desktop in the kitchen, and make her dreams come true.
Friday, April 24, 2009
i don't wanna be
"I'm tired of looking around corners wondering what I gotta do or who I'm supposed to be."
Clarity comes in odd packages and unexpected moments. In a period where my focus should be on what I am going to do in the next few months, how I'm going to survive, I have instead become caught in a web of self-reflection.
I am remembering the values and beliefs that I want to live by. I am beginning to enact long-held goals. I am searching beyond academic, professional, and social success.
I know more about myself today than I did two weeks ago. I know how my priorities are ordered. I am learning where I want to compromise and where I refuse. I am fighting bad habits and choosing new commitments.
Most importantly, I am embracing me. Every crook and cranny. Every flaw. Every imperfection. Every oddity. Every pleasure. Every hope and dream. Every love.
"I don't want to be anything other than me."
Clarity comes in odd packages and unexpected moments. In a period where my focus should be on what I am going to do in the next few months, how I'm going to survive, I have instead become caught in a web of self-reflection.
I am remembering the values and beliefs that I want to live by. I am beginning to enact long-held goals. I am searching beyond academic, professional, and social success.
I know more about myself today than I did two weeks ago. I know how my priorities are ordered. I am learning where I want to compromise and where I refuse. I am fighting bad habits and choosing new commitments.
Most importantly, I am embracing me. Every crook and cranny. Every flaw. Every imperfection. Every oddity. Every pleasure. Every hope and dream. Every love.
"I don't want to be anything other than me."
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
miracles
"If I conceive it then I can achieve it. And if I dream and believe it then I can be it."
When Joseph was young he wanted to be a lot of things. A pediatrician, a teacher, a fireman. He believed in each of those dreams. As he grew older, he changed. He realized that those childhood fantasies came with very hardwork. Work and diligence he found himself unwilling to do.
Joseph reached his senior year of high school with no real interest in attending college. He had taken all the performance exams but only because it was the norm. He had gone on a few college trips with his buddies for fun. Still his motivation was lacking.
But in one day, Joseph's life took an unexpected turn. He was leving the school late after lacrosse practice and saw one of his a girl he vaguely knew from class crying. Joseph sat down and talked to her. He quickly found out that her father had been laid off from his job, and the financials situation at home was becoming dire.
Joseph did his best to console her, but could only really help by giving her a ride home. That night he laid in his bed and his mind could not help but to ponder the girl's dilemma. Here was a girl with so much potential that was considering droppin g out of high school four months before graduation to help her family pay the bills. He was restless so he got out of bed and began searching the internet for solution.
The next day, joseph anxiously looked for the girl at school. When he finally spotted her, he bombarded her with all the information he had found about government assistance for her family, about legal rights for people that had been laid off, and about financial aid plans.
And there began his purpose. It started small, in that moment wanting to help that girl. But it sparked a passion. Jospeh became intrigued by the intricacies of the law, began to monitor first national then state legislation. He went to college and studied political science. He went to law school. He did public service law for seven years. He ran for a state office and served in the state legislature for ten years. He ran for Congress and served there for another seventeen years. He then was appointed to a Secretary of Labor.
That girl in high school had sparked a desire to reform employment law in a manner that protects the financial security of families. And now he is in a position where he can.
When Joseph was young he wanted to be a lot of things. A pediatrician, a teacher, a fireman. He believed in each of those dreams. As he grew older, he changed. He realized that those childhood fantasies came with very hardwork. Work and diligence he found himself unwilling to do.
Joseph reached his senior year of high school with no real interest in attending college. He had taken all the performance exams but only because it was the norm. He had gone on a few college trips with his buddies for fun. Still his motivation was lacking.
But in one day, Joseph's life took an unexpected turn. He was leving the school late after lacrosse practice and saw one of his a girl he vaguely knew from class crying. Joseph sat down and talked to her. He quickly found out that her father had been laid off from his job, and the financials situation at home was becoming dire.
Joseph did his best to console her, but could only really help by giving her a ride home. That night he laid in his bed and his mind could not help but to ponder the girl's dilemma. Here was a girl with so much potential that was considering droppin g out of high school four months before graduation to help her family pay the bills. He was restless so he got out of bed and began searching the internet for solution.
The next day, joseph anxiously looked for the girl at school. When he finally spotted her, he bombarded her with all the information he had found about government assistance for her family, about legal rights for people that had been laid off, and about financial aid plans.
And there began his purpose. It started small, in that moment wanting to help that girl. But it sparked a passion. Jospeh became intrigued by the intricacies of the law, began to monitor first national then state legislation. He went to college and studied political science. He went to law school. He did public service law for seven years. He ran for a state office and served in the state legislature for ten years. He ran for Congress and served there for another seventeen years. He then was appointed to a Secretary of Labor.
That girl in high school had sparked a desire to reform employment law in a manner that protects the financial security of families. And now he is in a position where he can.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
i will be
"If I hold on I will show the world all the things that you never expected to see from little old me."
I feel as if though I've always been surrounded by doubt and low expectations. And maybe its my own fault. Its true that I probably don't come across as the girl with the biggest dreams or the greatest potential. I can be quiet and awkward in professional social settings. I don't interview well. My grades have never been startlingly good. I have a lack of clarity about what I want for my life and no vision of who I want to be in the future. My ambition and potential seem mediocre.
But I am far from mediocre. And if you cared to pay attention, you would know too. And despite my uncertainty about the path I want my life to go, there are a few things I know for sure.
I am and will be strong. I will show this world all that my soul has to offer. I will be unabashed about the things I am passionate for. I will love abundantly. I will write beautifully. I will work diligently.
And when I am done I will have left my imprint in the life of every person I loved, every friend I made, every client I represent, every fan I earn.
I feel as if though I've always been surrounded by doubt and low expectations. And maybe its my own fault. Its true that I probably don't come across as the girl with the biggest dreams or the greatest potential. I can be quiet and awkward in professional social settings. I don't interview well. My grades have never been startlingly good. I have a lack of clarity about what I want for my life and no vision of who I want to be in the future. My ambition and potential seem mediocre.
But I am far from mediocre. And if you cared to pay attention, you would know too. And despite my uncertainty about the path I want my life to go, there are a few things I know for sure.
I am and will be strong. I will show this world all that my soul has to offer. I will be unabashed about the things I am passionate for. I will love abundantly. I will write beautifully. I will work diligently.
And when I am done I will have left my imprint in the life of every person I loved, every friend I made, every client I represent, every fan I earn.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
who can i run to
"As I stand here contemplating on the right thing to decide, will I take the wrong direction all my life?"
Here comes another dilemma. MJ sat heavily on the wooden bar stool in the kitchen. She laid her head an the countertop and found the cold granite to somehow be oddly comforting. But still her mind raced. MJ had a decision to make, and truth be told, she hated making decisions. She was terrified of being solely responsible for making the wrong choice. No scapegoats, no blame. Just her.
And she sat there on the stool with her head pressed to the countertop for a while, until the awkward position began to make her neck ache. MJ sat up with hesitation. She needed another distraction.
Ice cream will help. She grabbed a pint of Ben & Jerry's from the fridge and shuffled into the living room. MJ ate and she thought. Ms. Anthony was expecting her phone call any moment. She wrote down all the practical reasons why staying was the best option. Then she wrote down the one reason why taking advantage of this opportunity would be so amazing.
Finally, she reached for the phone. Ms. Anthony answered on the second ring. MJ confidently informed her that she would take the gig, and that it would only take her three days to formally withdraw from school and pack up her things. Some dreams are worth the risk, MJ thought assuredly as she hung up the phone. But really she was terrified of the choice she had just made.
Here comes another dilemma. MJ sat heavily on the wooden bar stool in the kitchen. She laid her head an the countertop and found the cold granite to somehow be oddly comforting. But still her mind raced. MJ had a decision to make, and truth be told, she hated making decisions. She was terrified of being solely responsible for making the wrong choice. No scapegoats, no blame. Just her.
And she sat there on the stool with her head pressed to the countertop for a while, until the awkward position began to make her neck ache. MJ sat up with hesitation. She needed another distraction.
Ice cream will help. She grabbed a pint of Ben & Jerry's from the fridge and shuffled into the living room. MJ ate and she thought. Ms. Anthony was expecting her phone call any moment. She wrote down all the practical reasons why staying was the best option. Then she wrote down the one reason why taking advantage of this opportunity would be so amazing.
Finally, she reached for the phone. Ms. Anthony answered on the second ring. MJ confidently informed her that she would take the gig, and that it would only take her three days to formally withdraw from school and pack up her things. Some dreams are worth the risk, MJ thought assuredly as she hung up the phone. But really she was terrified of the choice she had just made.
Monday, February 23, 2009
flying without wings
"Impossible as they may seem, you've got to fight for every dream because who's to know which one you let go would have made you complete."
Lanie never had a camera growing up. Either her family couldn't afford it or they just didn't believe it a worthy investment. Lanie was a work study student in college, and she couldn't spare the money to buy the camera necessary to take Photography as an elective.
At age 22, working as an entry-level researcher at an energy thinktank, Lanie bought her first camera. It wasn't flashy or particularly high-tech. It was like Lanie. Practical, safe, reliable.
Within five years, Lanie had become one of the most sought-after photographers on the East Coast. She no longer worked for her think tank; she worked for herself. She owned a series of cameras, ranging in size and capacity. She took amazing pictures of everything. People. Scenery. Animals. Fruit. Flowers.
And she was unbelievably content. She relished in her profession, and that contentment spread into her personal life.
Lanie always had vision. As a child, she could see the perfect arch in a bird's flight. She knew which angle best showcased a person's face. She understood the beauty of a petal falling from a rose. She locked a thousand of these images in her mind as she grew up. Her unique photo album.
And the first chance she had, she took her chance to make her lifelong passion her livelihood.
Lanie never had a camera growing up. Either her family couldn't afford it or they just didn't believe it a worthy investment. Lanie was a work study student in college, and she couldn't spare the money to buy the camera necessary to take Photography as an elective.
At age 22, working as an entry-level researcher at an energy thinktank, Lanie bought her first camera. It wasn't flashy or particularly high-tech. It was like Lanie. Practical, safe, reliable.
Within five years, Lanie had become one of the most sought-after photographers on the East Coast. She no longer worked for her think tank; she worked for herself. She owned a series of cameras, ranging in size and capacity. She took amazing pictures of everything. People. Scenery. Animals. Fruit. Flowers.
And she was unbelievably content. She relished in her profession, and that contentment spread into her personal life.
Lanie always had vision. As a child, she could see the perfect arch in a bird's flight. She knew which angle best showcased a person's face. She understood the beauty of a petal falling from a rose. She locked a thousand of these images in her mind as she grew up. Her unique photo album.
And the first chance she had, she took her chance to make her lifelong passion her livelihood.
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