Field Of Dreams

This weekend I had the pleasure of watching one of my all time favorite films Field of Dreams. This movie struck such a cord with me on its main theme, how the world perceives people who strive for dreams that others find unattainable. More often than not, people who are dreamers, inventers, philosophers, artists and the like are called, crazy, in denial, and generally unstable because they march to beat of their own drum.

James Earl Jones’ character in the movie, comments on a passion so intense to that it can barely be articulated into words. The truth is often our dreams sound unintelligible to others. However, as long as you can keep your eye on the prize— the dream in your heart and don’t let go, you are more than half way to accomplishing your dreams and deepest desires.

I realize so many of us give up, because of the naysayers in our lives, “dream stealers.” The people who tell us that we are unrealistic, that it will never work, or even worse...wait…. until time, money or resources are better.

I love the movie's tagline

“If you believe the impossible, the incredible
can come true”

Keep Dreaming!!!

In Memory of the Saint

Happy Mother’s Day! On this day, I choose to give praise to the saint, my mother. What you don’t see the halo around her head. ;-)

Granted most of the time, I ignored her advice when she was alive, feeling as if I knew better. But in her death, her wisdom, and love shines through daily. My mother always believed in giving people the benefit of the doubt. My mother loved the underdog. She was a champion to all of us. She constantly told us that we could do anything we put our minds to.

My mother, the saint, also believed that rules should be broken as long as it wasn’t illegal. That you could flirt your way through just about anything, and she could convince the devil himself to give up him evil ways and enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Yes my mother was the best influence in my life on learning to take risks. Her go for it attitude was second to none. At her funeral so many people came up to us and told us of what she had done for them. Some of it we knew about but most we did not, because that was her true character. She did for those around her, believing in the spirit of philanthropy, and never spoke of her good deeds.

Yes, my mother the saint, who teased me one day that I wouldn’t know the use of my behind ‘til it was sore. Yes, I miss her insight, her laughter, her wisdom, her joie de vivre, and most of all I miss her. I will end with one of her favorite quotes.

There is so much good in the worst of us
and so much bad in the best of us,
That it doesn’t behoove any of us
To speak about the rest of us.

attributed to many authors

The Lost Art of Listening

I have come to the realization that listening is a lost art. When we ask for advice or another person’s opinion on something that we are doing, we immediately get a bad case of “interuptusitis” or we come down with a severe case of the “yeahbut” disease. The conversation usually starts like this “Can I ask your opinion, I need some help with, or How would you handle that.” Immediately as soon as the person you asked for an opinion, opens their mouth to speak, one interrupts with “yeah but, I tried that it did not work, no what I mean is, and so on.”

What is really happening is that we are so intent on what we think the other person is about to say that we stop listening and start projecting. We have the conversation already pre dialogued in our head so we don’t listen. A good friend of mine says that she doesn't give advice, and that she learned it from a quote “Don’t give advice because wise men don’t need it and fools don’t heed it.

The next time you ask for someone’s opinion, try something new. Listen and don’t speak at all. When they are finished…..Just say thank you! Give your brain, and soul time to digest the information.