Saturday, July 20, 2013

Open The Door and Give Your Dreams Air

“If only I could...”

So often we sigh over our dreams and secret desires and then thrust them away because we think it’s a waste of time to hope for something that can’t happen. Although the obstacles may be legitimate–finances, health, family–we shut down our desires before we even give them air to breathe.

There’s a lovely old movie, Enchanted April, where on a soggy, miserable English afternoon two women happen upon the same newspaper ad:

'To those who appreciate wisteria and sunshine. Small medieval Italian castle on the shores of the Mediterranean to be let furnished for the month of April…’

You feel their longing, even as they push the ad aside. It’s impossible. Too many hurtles. Little finances. And what will their husbands say. Yet they yearn. Dream. Ponder. When they bravely step over their inhibitions, that dream becomes reality and changes their lives forever.

For me, recently I've been dreaming about a lovely new writing room. It has to be something different than the space in front of my computer. There's no room here to read or research or just write something long hand (which I still enjoy doing very much). Besides, I've read that a person should use different tools when writing, as they each seem to connect to a different part of the brain, which tends to stir the 'remembering' in slightly different ways.  

So I dream of a large table, antique, with a gleaming surface of beautiful walnut, curved legs with curlicues carved into them.  It stands near a wall of long windows where the light and sunshine streams in.  There are wall-to-ceiling built-in bookshelves and a fireplace with comfy chairs and cushy couches in one corner.  Beautiful panels of lace waft as breezes blow in through the open French doors that lead out into a pretty sitting area in the garden. (Are you seeing my dream?)  

At this stage, my house doesn't allow for that.  No room big enough for a large writing table, just to write on.  No long windows or French doors into the garden.  BUT... I stopped to dream it and I haven't finished dreaming it, because I didn't get to the other beautiful things in my writing room that would inspire me to write.

So... now that I know what my heart longs for, how can I do something about it?  Can I do some version of that here in my house right now?   Who knows what the imagination can work out, if I let it out into the open.

Things won't ever happen or change…until, at the very least, we allow ourselves the freedom to dream about it. If you’ve been firmly turning your back on something, I invite you to open the door and give your own dream room to breathe again.  Who knows what will blow in?

Wishing you glimpses of heaven in unexpected places,






Photo source:  glittergraphics.com 






23 comments:

  1. I like the quote ' He who lives without a dream, stops living'. My dreams keep me eager to find each new day's 'what if's'. Funny, just today I looked at a spot in my house thinking, this will be my writing room someday when there are rooms not fully lived in.

    Here is another quote I like...(BTW, love your quote page)

    “And I learned what is obvious to a child. That life is simply a collection of little lives, each lived one day at a time. That each day should be spent finding beauty in flowers and poetry and talking to animals. That a day spent with dreaming and sunsets and refreshing breezes cannot be bettered.”
    ― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

    Have a great week-end! Sweet dreams.

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    1. What a lovely quote from The Notebook... each day spent finding beauty in flowers and poetry and talking to animals. Oh yes, sounds perfect to me!

      I've plans to add some new quotes to that page... well old ones actually... I'm going treasure hunting in some of my old journals.

      Interesting you mention a dream for a writing room too. (I'm not sure, but I think I may have seen my writing room in my home in heaven.... it was a lovely room, smaller and it overlooks the garden).

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  2. I think the movie you were talking about - I saw done in a play. It is true - God wants for us to dream. sandie

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    1. Oh wouldn't that be fun to see it in the theatre. Now that I know it's around in that genre, I'll keep watching for it around here.

      We just went to a dinner/theatre event last evening to see Driving Miss Daisy. It was great! Michael Learned (Olivia Walton in the TV series, The Waltons) did a marvelous job as Miss Daisy. It was fun to see her all these years later. Every once in a while I'd catch a glimpse of her in a movement of when she played Olivia. It was kinda neat to see.

      I believe so, too, Sandi, that He wants us to dream.

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  3. Dream on...and definitely put your dreams into words. I truly believe that words are the stuff that dreams are made of. When you have the courage to speak your dreams out loud, it's like you are giving yourself permission to believe. And we know what happens when people believe! My big dream is a ranch with lots of land and a shop for hubby. Animals, lots of them. And enough income to pay somebody to help out on said ranch!

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    1. Debora, Thank you SO much for your lovely thoughts in return. I think you're right, the courage to speak the dreams out loud is giving us permission to believe it's possible. That's what I felt, I think, as I was thinking about this writing, it was as if I was in it already. It was a marvelous feeling.

      Your dream for a ranch with lots of land, and lots of help, and lots of animals... that sounds like a grand dream too. Lord, show her how to make it possible!

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  4. I needed to read this, because it's so easy to just pass over those dreams. Don't need to get in the habit of that (which, sadly I have fallen into).

    Again, thanks. :)

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    1. Melissa, I am so glad to hear from you.

      I just read a quote earlier today that I'm reminded of... don't know if it fits your situation, but sometimes dreams get buried under disappointments when too much of 'life' keeps pulling the rug out from under one's feet.

      WIlliam Butler Yeats has a poignant turn of phrase to describe it:

      Too long a sacrifice
      Can make a stone of the heart.

      (from his poem Easter 1916)

      I hope and pray you will uncover one of those dreams today... with the wherewithal to make it come true.





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  5. Oh Brenda. That would be a PERFECT writing space. Don't give up on that dream. Ever ever ever. I would LOVE to see you make it come true.

    Look around your house. Is there anywhere French doors can be installed? I bought a pair on vacation in Connecticut last year and they are now installed! Fabulous!

    Your writing room WILL come to reality. Make an inspiration board with magazine photos of all aspects. I've found the things on my inspiration boards almost always materialize eventually. Susan

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement to hang onto the dream.

      I've got a nook in one room now with a table and a beautiful Victorian chair. The table is an old kitchen table with chrome legs, but you know what, I can almost see the beautiful antique in its place.

      So yes, I'm doing small things to create an ambiance. What I'd like to do (and we do have plans) when we replace our windows, I'd like to make the writing room window deeper, so that I can look from my desk out and down into the garden. It's on the second floor.

      Thanks so much for your enthusiasm and suggestions.

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  6. Beautiful, like you. LOVE your words.
    Thank you for this gentle reminder.
    Linda at Beautiful Ideas

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    1. So glad to see you here. And thank you for your affirming words!

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  7. Oh you gave your dream some lovely words...

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  8. We must all have a dream, even if we never quite get there.
    Could you have a garden room for your writing, maybe?

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  9. Oooh I was just out in Fort Saskatchewan driving by a piece of the river where when I was about 15 years younger I thought of owning that land where I could put my own log cabin with a writing room as well. I pray you get your beautiful writing room, SOON. Thanks.

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    1. Hi there,

      Thanks for leaving your comment. You must be in the area, but I would have loved to know your name too. What a neat dream of your own!

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  10. I think you can make anywhere you want to into your writing room! It is possible, and not just a dream. You can make it happen, I'm sure of it. And I love how you described your dream too. It's beautiful!

    -Merry

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    1. Merry, I've created a little one... nothing as fancy as my 'dream', but it will do the job nicely. No fancy antique table, but I do have a lovely bookshelf and a Victorian chair in which to read.




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    2. That's wonderful, Brenda! :D I'm sure over time it will be just as lovely as your dream.

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  11. Brenda - please dare to dream. Draw it - write it down - think on it...God has such a wonderful way of blessing us when we share the desires of our heart with Him. I once envisioned a cottage garden with a white trellis and morning glories climbing up - it was many years later but that vision was blessed and God granted me this desire. There is such power in speaking it - and believing we will receive it. I know that beautiful writing room will appear. As always I am behind on your posts and enjoying catching up. Thanks for sharing your vision today. Have a beautiful one!

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To My Beautiful Readers,

Some people come into our lives, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. ~ Franz Peter Schubert

Thank you so much for leaving your 'footprint' here in my comment box. I do appreciate you taking a moment to share your thoughts today.

Brenda xo