Mirror of possibilities

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?

I like to fancy myself as Snow White. And sometimes I am. Unfortunately, I'm sometimes also the Evil Queen, looking into the mirror of "all about me," wondering when my dreams will come true.

Yet some of my best dreams have transpired when I wasn't gazing at me, but rather in the mirror of possibilities for others.  My dream, for example, of working on Wall Street, was a consequence of attending to my husband's dream of getting his PhD at  Columbia.  Finding a way to love the piano again came as I accompanied Macy Robison when she performed Children Will Listen.  Meanwhile, my long-held dream of writing a book came about as I encouraged others to dream.   More importantly, when I hear the stories of people's dreams, I find myself whistling while I work. 

If you don't know what your dream is, take a look at what you love to do for those you love --  you just may find you inside your fairy tale.

***

Are there situations or circumstances when you are less likely to look in the "mirror of me" and more likely to look at the possibilities for others?

Which of your dreams have been activated as you attended to others?

Comments

[Macy]

Love this and love you.

[PamelaBrackett]

I love this, Whitney - it's so true. My art lingered on the proverbial back burner until my children were all grown and satisfied with their own paths and happy to take the leap. It was through their fearlessness of grabbing on to what they love and eventually landing in professions that, not only support them, but allow them to thrive as creative individuals that I found my path. Again.

[Dana King]

What beautiful thought. My design club came about by accepting an invitation to teach others how to decorate their homes.

[Sally]

What a lovely post! You are such an inspiration.

[DianeSimonelli]

I love this.

Ten years ago, I left good friends and a job I loved to travel to London because the man I loved had moved to work there and wanted me with him. I then ended up working in a job that I wouldn't have gone for in Oz, my mind broadened through working directly with a woman who helped shape the disability discrimation act and changed the way British corporates see disability in the workplace.

I am richer for this experience. Though at times, I am discouraged by the way we women, myself included, push our dreams aside for others. For me, balance is key. A question remains: how to achieve it?

[Philip Quintas]

I used to write songs because I wanted to express what I was feeling. Now I write help others connect with their feelings, their dreams and their healing.

[Hollie]

For me the #cdnmoney chat came about simply because I followed a dream and wanted to share. Dreams are important, but then we have to take the steps to make them a reality.