I’m over in Scotland without a clue. Another case of me jumping and building wings on the way down (see me frantically gluing feathers together). I made it here though, and it’s beautiful! I got here just in time for gale force winds, an ash cloud, and a rugby tournament. I wanted take this trip for a while. I told myself I would, and I still do not quite know the logistics of how I got here and how I’m getting back, but I’m so happy I jumped.
What I am most happy about, other than seeing my wonderful brother and hanging out with some sweet people, is the fact that I didn’t let this one become a pipe dream. I didn’t wait for everything to be right and in place. I said I would take this trip and, in spite of everything, I did! This is how I want to live my life. I don’t want to wait for “one day” because so often that “one day” doesn’t come.
We don’t always realize we’re putting our lives – the real ones, the ones we want to live and are currently working toward – in danger when we wait for perfect circumstances. We spend a lifetime and die waiting for that “real” life to begin. Sometimes it’s important to take risks and do what you dream of doing.
Many of us don’t really make that definite, no-turning-back move toward our dreams because we fear failure. It’s one thing to fail at something you don’t care about, but it is brutal to fail at something you’ve put your heart into. The thing is, you may succeed if you try, you may fail if you try, but absolutely nothing happens if you do absolutely nothing. And life can get really dull if you do absolutely nothing with it.
But if you do decide to pursue dreams, you don’t have to do like me and take the scary headlong route. My methods are a bit random and… optimistic. If you don’t want to live in
negative capability like me, that’s perfectly fine (and smart). Even taking small calculated steps is progress, and has its risks. But the key is to move toward where you want to be.
You’re not going to wake up one day to find that you’re living your dreams unless you take those scary steps towards those dreams. Don’t wait for the world. The world is just doing it’s thing, minding its business. Waiting for it to get to you is a mistake. The world won’t come to you because it’s too busy waiting for you to grasp it and make it take notice. Yes. The world is waiting for you to step up and take your place in it.
(Photo by Andon Blake)
