As I was sorting through the pile of stuff on my desk, I came across a small foam pumpkin. On the pumpkin were crooked eyes, a nose and a mouth. The pumpkin was given to me from Abby, a girl that I tutored four years ago.
Abby will always have a special place in my heart. At age 8 she was diagnosed with a rare illness. She was allowed to attend school on days that she felt okay; on other days she would stay home and I would go to her house and tutor for two hours. From day one, Abby had my heart. Each session I met with her, Abby greeted me with a huge smile and a hug. In spite of her intense pain, Abby wanted to learn. Abby thrived on learning new words and conquering math. Her interpretation of any history lesson was a vivid one!
When Abby turned 9, she spent less and less days at school and more days working with me. On days that she felt up to it, I had permission to take Abby for a ride. Abby lived in the country so we quite often drove on back roads. One of our favorite spots was a little wooded area that had a small space cleared out by the road. In that small space, for whatever reason, was a tiny table, a small hut and other little fixtures. When we got close to the clearing, I would drive by slowly. Abby and I would take turns making up a story about the gnome family that lived there. She then would giggle the rest of the way back to her house.
Near her tenth birthday, Abby passed away. It was a heart-breaker for her family, her relatives, her schoolmates, and for me. Even at the age of 8, Abby understood how serious her illness was and that she would probably not live to be a teenager. Rather than give up hope, Abby embraced life! Abby has taught me to…
1. Welcome each new day! Almost every day of tutoring, Abby had something positive to say about the day…the sun is shining, I don’t ache much today, we’re having spaghetti for supper, my dog loves me…Abby chose not to dwell on her illness, but rather to look at the positives in her life.
2. Laugh yourself silly! Besides our gnome stories, Abby liked to tell jokes. Sometimes she would be laughing so hard, she forgot to finish telling the joke. If her little sister was having an attitude, Abby would say something silly to her and get her laughing. Abby made me realize that there’s very little in life to be upset over and a lot to enjoy, to be giddy about.
3. Have a dream! Even though Abby knew she wouldn’t live a long life, she believed in having dreams. Abby wanted to become a doctor so that other kids wouldn’t have to endure the pain that she did. She also wanted to fly to the moon. One time when we went out for a milkshake and she talked about her dreams, she looked at me and said, “I know I won’t really become a doctor, but I have to hope to become one. If someone finds a cure for my sickness and I get to grow up, then I need to start dreaming now. If I don’t grow up, I still have the excitement of hoping to become someone.” After I dropped Abby off to her house that day, I cried all the way home. My tears weren’t for Abby’s short life, but rather admiration of her strength and wisdom.
If you’re a parent, I encourage you to do something silly with your child (regardless of his or her age) and to really listen to their hopes and dreams. If you’re single, spend time with a niece or a nephew or a friend’s child. We can learn a lot from the younger generation.
Listen to your heart…
Posts Tagged ‘dreams’
Go After Your Dreams
Saturday, January 16th, 2010
Last year, Susan Boyle became an overnight sensation as her “Britain’s Got Talent” debut hit the internet. People were in disbelief that a plain looking woman would have such a beautiful voice. It had been a dream of Susan’s for years to become a well known singer. Keeping focused on her dream, Susan wasn’t distracted by the negative thoughts or comments surrounding her. Susan achieved her dream.
Elvis Presley was kicked out of the Grand Ole Opry in 1954. In fact, he was told to stick with his day job, driving trucks! Could you imagine no Elvis? No “Blue Suede Shoes”. No “Love Me Tender”. Did you know that Jimi Hendrix and his band were booed off the stage when they opened for the Monkees? Both Elvis and Jimi could’ve bought into the “you’re not good enough” downward spiral. Instead, they stayed focused on their dream and became huge successes.
This past week in the United States, the ninth season of “American Idol” kicked off. Although I would agree that it’s very questionable if some of the contestants truly had musical ability, I was impressed by several other contestants. Whether they make it to the top 20, the top 10 or the top 3, I hope that they will continue to go after their dream of being a singer.
It’s good to have a dream, a hope to chase after. It doesn’t have to be as big as wanting to become a singer, but it has to be something you’re passionate about , you think of often, and you truly desire. What is your dream? Your hope? What are you doing to start going after your dream?
I need to give this some thought as well. For some of us, our hope might be to lose weight, to give up smoking or some other health-related goal. For others, it might be doing something creative–pottery, poetry, music, writing.
And since you’re on this site, searching for someone who’s dear to you is most likely a hope as well. I really encourage you to be as detailed as you can about your searches, post your photo and keep checking back. You never know when that moment will be that your path crosses someone who is waiting for you.
Listen to your heart…
