Sunday, July 05, 2015

Dreams..

It's a funny thing about dreams, how they grab hold of your heart and squeeze.
And who knows why one dream ignites in a person, and a different dream ignites in another person.
This morning, after a walk in the early morning quiet, I turned on the Tour de France. It's only day two and they're in the Netherlands, but as they biked through the narrow medieval streets of Utrecht, the camera focused on the buildings, with their curious step down roof lines, I felt that longing once again to be there, in Europe, in France.
I want it so much that it hurts.
Synapses fire in my brain, nudging me to figure it out so that I can live in France.
I thought of dreams earlier this week too when my running friend Noreen sent a text message that she and her husband had reached Las Vegas and were driving to the Sierra Madres mountain range.
She sent this picture


And said, "Our first glimpse of the Sierras! I am home"
That made my heart soar -- to feel that sense of accomplishment, that dream fulfillment with Noreen.
I take a bit of credit for helping Noreen focus on her dream, because I'm the one who convinced her to join me on a hike on the Appalachian Trail nine years ago as I researched my novel Trail Mix. She accompanied me again on a second hike, and she hasn't looked back. She hikes in the wilderness every chance she gets. This time, a two-week hike in California. She's in heaven.
That's the thing about a dream, a longing. It penetrates your soul and prods you to make it happen.
I'm glad we don't all share the same dream so those trails and the countryside of France don't get too crowded.
What's your dream? What are you doing to make it happen?

4 comments:

Jeanie said...

Paulita, I get it completely. And think the same, especially with the Tour... I'll be back. No way I'm not getting back!

Lilbitbrit said...

My dream is to live in France, or at least for a while. I regularly look at JB French houses and tour my way around Brittany, Normandy and the south of France. It's great fun.

Christy
Lilbitbrit

Just Me said...

What a wonderful post. I have to admit and I'm not sure if I should feel bad but I'm not a dreamer. I can only think of one thing I had always wanted to do. That was run the New York City marathon. We watched it on tv every year. I did some how end up running it. I have no clue how it could have come to be. I cried as I crossed the "starting line". I was there! Nothing else mattered at that point.

Terra said...

I like that your friend is achieving her dream of hiking. My dream of having two books published is achieved and now I aim to have two more published. Let's all Dream.

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