Reaching for our dreams

"We are never given a dream without the power to make it true" R. Bach

I love pictures of paths... of stairways... I love the possibility it symbolizes. My favorite poem is "The Road Not Taken" by Frost. Last year for Mother's Day, my oldest son memorized it and recited it to me. I was so touched... number one that he remembered which poem was my favorite, but also that he worked so hard to commit it to memory, then he practiced to make sure he could recite it correctly. It made my heart swell with such love and pride. Being a mother to 3 boys is not easy. Being a divorced mother is even more difficult. But one of my dreams has always been to be a good mother. I've fought to make that happen. Sometimes, I am absolutely certain, they hated me. But I've been a good mother. The power was within.

Sometimes...we have dreams, and we get discouraged. We automatically think 'oh well, it wasn't meant to be'. But if those dreams occur and re-occur... don't ya think it's time to listen? A couple of years ago, I began painting. I painted all the time. It was my therapy, and I loved it. I even loved some of the paintings I created. After a time, I began contacting galleries, showing my work, trying to get accepted. I ran into roadblock after roadblock. I kept painting though. Then we moved, and space didn't allow me to paint as easily... and it tapered off.

I began to focus more on family, and blogging, and photography. I am taking pictures now that I had never really dreamed of doing before. I have found ways of getting my work out there, and it feels amazing. I take pictures every day. I tried to paint the other day. My painting turned out exactly as I had envisioned it. But my heart wasn't in it. It didn't feel like the right path anymore. But that path brought me to where I am now. Therefore... totally necessary for my growth.

The way I feel about photography, and more specifically, the photos that I create... it's an all encompassing passion. I strive to be better, but am consistently amazed by the work I am producing. I'm currently taking a class, and considering submitting some work to some contests and galleries. I'm also trudging through learning adobe photoshop-- by far, my least enjoyable process. I have my dream... and though it's been revised a million times in this life, the concept has remained the same. And I have the power to make it come true. So do you.