Are you still dreaming?
It was a very productive morning! I attended a workshop in Muncie called Blogging 101. It is amazing what people do with blogging!
Many years ago I heard Zig Ziglar speak and he said something that has stuck in my head ever since. He looked at us, pointed a finger and said these words:
"Most men go to their graves with their dreams still inside them."
It didn't mean as much to me as it has come to mean in more recent years. I have watched people die who have lived "small" lives. Small meaning that they have had dreams at some time in their lives, but just never seemed to have gotten around to achieving or pursuing.
So here's my question: What is your response to Ziglar's quote?
Great first blog, Mark! God gives us dreams and passions and expects us to pursue them with His direction.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Christy! And thanks for your help in getting started! I really have used some of the approaches of the workshop.
DeleteLive Large my friend
ReplyDeleteBill, you are part of my dreams. You came along side me when I needed guidance and I do feel God placed you in my path at a point of need. I will always feel blessed by you.
DeleteMany men, perhaps most men, dwell/obsess on the “dreams inside them” neglecting to observe their life, its blessings, and gifts. Their lives are so taken for granted that they fail to observe who they have become, where they have been, and what they have accomplished. e.g. “The unexamined life is not worth living …” – Socrates; attributed by Plato
ReplyDeleteIn rare cases, we awake (often through devastating circumstances in our lives of those very close to us) and realize that the life we merely “lived” has in fact been a “dream outside ourselves”.
$0.02 from a life examined only from the surface ... :-)
Interesting, Greg, that your thoughts remind me that we can live our dreams vicariously at times. I think of the sense of satisfaction and success we can have as our children succeed or move ahead with wisdom. There is a sense of a dream accomplished with the raising of a child, though we didn't consciously put that on a dream list or bucket list. I think of how proud you are of Ross and know that much of the reason he is what he is can be attributed to seeking to do your best as a parent, which is a dream, though maybe not verbalized as such.
DeleteI think many people of both genders have dreams they keep inside for many reasons. It can be lack of belief in themselves, always putting others first, thinking "who am I to dream this?" and economic challenges that keep them from spending the time and money their dreams require. Last year I took a leap and pursued my dream of publishing my book, Sweetland of Liberty Bed & Breakfast. It was scary! As soon as it came out I worried if it really was terrible or if it had mistakes or if people would laugh. To my delight, the response has been very positive and while there have been great ups with it, there have been humbling downs -- like driving a distance to give a library program and only the librarian who invited me shows up! But those all are part of the package and I can laugh about them later. It's worth going for a dream. One dream can lead to the next. Christ wants us to have not just life but abundant life. And I thank Him for our ability to dream -- and to pursue those dreams. Donna Cronk
ReplyDeleteDonna, you have been an encouragement for me and I want you to know that it means a lot.
DeleteWhen reading your post, I couldn't help but think of the economic issues that impact dream pursuit. Certainly those in the depression years needed to worry more about survival and the other desires took a distant second. Some, I suppose, are in economic distress by their own choosing and by choosing not to move ahead in some area of life, or by continuing with a pattern of decisions that are not congruent with achievement. I have had those times in my life where my choice of action, or lack of action, impacted the direction of my life.
I, too, thank God for the opportunities!
Mark my friend....
ReplyDeleteSeveral years ago, while attending a college orientation gathering at Indiana University, the main lecture hall was abuzz with the faces of the new freshmen class. My middle son & daughter-n-law were among those beginning their new life in higher education and I had come along with Angi, because she was frightened and Joey had to work.
A silence came over the auditorium as a seemly small statured individual walked onto the stage. He began by welcoming those freshmen and their parents in attendance. He made it very clear that they where embarking on the greatest adventure in their lives. He also talked to them of the dedication needed to complete and to fulfill their ambitions.
As with you and Zig Ziglar's quote about the grave and the dreams maintained within, this gentlemen also more or less challenged those in attendance that day, by instilling this within their minds: "Where will you be in five years? - You will either be a graduated Senior or you will be what you are today. It's up to you."
Our dreams, our ambitions... Whether we loose them or pack them away in our mind's closet to gather dust... We as individual's, have to live with our choice... We either embrace the possibilities, or we sit and think about what could have been... We are given a span of time on this earth according to scripture, it's what we do with it, that's important...!
I leave you with this quote Sir from one of our founding fathers....
"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of." - Benjamin Franklin
Keep up the good work my friend...
Redasi, the comment by the college administrator was stunning! I wish I had thought of that comment because it is so true. And I have seen so many, as you have I'm sure, who seem never to progress in life. They either refuse to change, or they seem to be unable to change. It is usually accompanied by blaming of external factors, such as others, for their circumstances. It never seems to be their fault.
DeleteI also love the Franklin quote...
I know that I do not want to reach the end of life with some of the "I wish I'd" statements I have heard from others at that point.
The book is a big one, and the second book is very close to ready.
Thanks for the comments.......
Many times I think men fall into a trap that they are get a job then a wife and then support her and raise children. This leaves no time for them to be "men" to follow the dream that is deep inside of them. Some men do get to do follow their dreams and many don'r marry because that wouls stop the dream.
ReplyDelete