Once upon a time, I dreamed great dreams. Wide-eyed, optimistic, and sure-footed, I stepped into a world filled with possibilities. Help arrived at my side, to caution me about the perils of real life. They warned me survival was difficult. Constructive criticism delivered with sharp tongues abraded my skin. They held me down, held me back, stopped me in my tracks. 

Fear whispered in my ear and fed on my last ounce of courage. Numb, my spirit sank into the nightmare. I struggled to find my way and bought lies from the snake-oil salesman. I worked harder, but it all fell apart They laughed, saying it didn’t matter how hard I tried. 

Crushed and broken, I thought I would die. A tiny child’s hand touched mine. She woke me and promised to save me from the nothingness that consumed me.  She showed me the answers, the ones I once saw in my dreams. 

“Life goes where you place your focus,” she said, “Keep your eyes on your dream.”

My attempts to fly failed because I forgot to aim high. To leave the darkness, I only needed to reach for the stars. I listen to my drummer beating a cadence to drown the naysayers. The strength, the passion, the persistence, they live in my dreams. 

Do you remember your dreams?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer