Friday, March 28, 2008

Is it Too Late to Dream?

Those of you who know me well, also know about my situation with my 83 year-old mother-in-law. This morning was rough for her. The pain took its toll and her spirit took a brief vacation. I thought her tears were a result of the torture her body had endured, but it turned out that I was wrong.

"It's too late for me," she cried. "Too late for my dreams to come true." She talked about her life and the opportunities she had missed due of fear and circumstance.

I've often felt the same over the last few years, as I've tried so hard to catch up with the education I never had time for, and the clarity that somehow eluded me. Listening to "Mom's" despair, I realized how lucky I was to have Grandparents in my life.

My Grandfather never let me sit around and mope. He was a man of few words, but the twinkle in his eye was enough to make me love him blindly. He dragged me around everywhere and showed me the world through his eyes. He made me understand that it is what we make it. If you want something bad enough, you have to work hard for it. He sure did.

My Grandmother was my greatest fan. She stood up for me and always pushed me to try new things. She gave me the courage to get up on stage, as she would listen to me sing for hours. She attended all my school functions and always told me to "dream big", because she had faith in me.

My dreams have changed over the years, but I think my grandparents would be proud. Now I live my dreams through the characters in my stories. "Polly Opossum" gave me the chance to get back on that stage and be a country music star!

I hope you're still listening Grandmama, I sure miss you somethin' awful!

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