We all have dreams that set our hearts on fire. As a child, my dream was to become a professional athlete.
I wasn’t exceptionally talented, but I was fast. Real fast. And I dreamed of competing against the best sprinters around. I qualified for the state finals. And during the final race, I slipped, fell, and watched the other runners fly right by.
Now, as an adult, I have different dreams. I dream of traveling and exploring the world. To experience as much as I can and share what I’ve learned along the way. And to leave the world a better place by giving back everywhere I go.
I’ve worked hard to bring these dreams to life and created high expectations for myself to see them through.
But recently, I’ve fallen short of those expectations. I’ve felt grounded, stuck, and uninspired. I write less and feel intimidated by the process. And I find myself just going through the motions and watching time fly right by.
In times like these, I tend to withdraw, reflect, and give myself time to work through my feelings. To sit with my failures and fears, and refocus on the dreams that set my heart on fire.
And in doing so, I remembered one of my favorite stories of a man who refused to climb a mountain for fear of falling. That sometimes we fall, but it’s always a mistake not to climb. And how flying is just falling without hitting the ground. And I realized something.
Having the courage to pursue your dreams is hard. Sometimes we fail. Sometimes we feel down. And sometimes we have to leave things we truly love and care about behind.
But our time in this life is so limited and uncertain. And it’s incumbent upon us to push on in pursuit of our dreams despite the pain, fears, and failures that we experience along the way, if we truly wish to realize them.
Because sometimes we fall. Often times, it may hurt. And time will inevitably pass us by.
But sometimes when we fall, we fly ✨
And speaking of flying…
I’m heading off to Europe later this week to restart my adventures and I’m building little free libraries in honor of my mother along the way.
My dreams are once again in reach. And this time, I’m not afraid to fall.
It’s time to fly ✌️