If everything goes according to plan, in six days my youngest daughter and I will be driving to Denver, CO.
We will then spend the next two days standing in REALLY long lines with thousands (perhaps tens of thousands) of other people at INVESCO Field (formerly Mile High Stadium) and then drive 9 hours back to Kansas City.
Please understand that I am one of those people who can’t stand waiting in line…anywhere…at the bank…on the freeway…at traffic lights.
It’s not that am always in a big hurry. I just have a NEED to make progress. Whenever I am forced to wait, my insides start churning because I hear the clock that holds the moments of my life ticking.
So why am I going to Denver to stand in line?
So Cakes can audition for AMERICAN IDOL!
It’s a long shot. I know that. She knows that. Although we decided only one week ago, we have each had thoughts run through our heads like “what the heck do you think you are doing?” and “who are you kidding?”
No one, actually.
There are always plenty of “good reasons” not to try something like this. However, those “good reasons” are not without their own costs.
Our hearts were made to be laboratories where dreams and ideas form. Unfortunately, most people’s hearts are filled with discouragement and resignation. There are two primary reasons for this.
More than a few people find it too painful to dream. They started out life trying to turn a dream into a reality only to have the difficulties of life and/or the people around them slowly but steadily grind their once bright hopes into powder. Now, the thought of pursuing a dream conjures up painful memories and internal accusations of “how foolish they were.”
Too many others have lost the ability to dream. Their heart has atrophied like an unused muscle because they never acted on any of the ideas that they got. Instead of taking a chance and launching out, they chose to play it safe, listening to everybody and their brother tell them why it won’t work. They chose the relative safety and security of dieing slowly rather than face the very real possibility of failing. Now they just go through the motions, fulfilling their obligations, merely playing their part.
I have personally battled the first obstacle as I have faced more than a few disappointments in my life. I am determined that my children do not fall into the second category.
I want my children to dream big dreams. I want them to be great and do great things. One of the primary laws of psychology is that you get more of whatever you reward. Act on the small dreams that you already have in your heart and you will get more.
Cakes has been dreaming of this for 5 years. This year she is finally old enough to audition.
When we were discussing it, Cakes began to get sheepish and started talking about next year, etc. I pressed her
“Is it in your heart to do this?”
She started to ramble
“Cakes, is it in your heart to do this?”
She paused and then started to qualify
“Just answer my question!”
“Yes.”
“Then you need to do it!”
We’ve been talking about it for five years. It’s time to take action!
Her dream has been to audition. If she makes it to the next round, great. If not, what was once just a dream in her heart will become a memory for life!
