dreaming

 “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

~ Albus Dumbledore

According to my baby book, I was five when I decided I wanted to be a ballerina or a flautist. Dreamer. If I’d wanted to be a school teacher, or a florist, there would have been a lot more chance of achieving it. I realised that I would have to pour every bit of me into pursing my dream– and as nothing else in the world seemed to make me feel so alive and joyful, there was no question about giving myself wholly to it. Below are my two favourite quotes from the past, which are scented all over with determination to make my dreams come true:

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll still be among the stars.”

Dwelling on dreams is wonderful, but I did forget to live...a lot of the time. It’s odd to think that I learnt more about living during a year lying on my couch, than nineteen running around. What good is it to be a person of great wealth, but unable to enjoy your heated pool and gigantic TV because you’re too busy working? Or to be in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, but too stressed and fatigued to take joy in your rewarding profession? That’s not life. I think living is a rich diversity of experiences; living is loving, and giving, and exploring, and learning, and resting, and enjoying, and laughing....and not being a sickly hermit crab from workaholism. (Note: a year of enforced rest is an excellent cure for the latter condition)

I hope to be a flautist if I can do so whilst retaining health in mind & body: my dream hasn’t changed. But I don’t want to let myself get lost in a life not lived, my dream isn’t worth that cost – I need time with my husband, my family, my Maker, and lots of moments to smell the jasmine (as I don’t have any roses, and jasmine smells divine).

p.s. if you haven’t been alive of late, I suggest taking a day off work/uni to re-establish full existence.