Where there is no vision, the people perish.
Proverbs 29:18
We all may be alive in the technical sense of the word, but could it be possible that we all carry parts of ourselves that have died long ago?
When we were children, we loved without abandon, questioned without hesitation, dreamed without guidelines and lived without limitations… But then we “grew up”, and much like the proper adults we were expected to be, we put walls around our possibilities and became “realistic”.
But How much of us died because of that?
Somewhere along the way, many of us have lost our drive for life and settled for mundane mediocrity. Have you ever looked at middle-aged people earning minimum wage in dead-end jobs and wondered what series of events led them to where they are today? Surely they didn’t dream of being a Wal-Mart greeter when they were a child. What happened? What went wrong?
They lost the vision. If they had grand dreams, lofty goals and big plans at one time in their life, somewhere between then and now, they lost sight of it, and they lost the fire.
The world is filled with people who have lost their spark. The world is filled with people who are unmotivated, unhappy and unexcited. The world is filled with people who are just dying to be set on fire, only some of them just don’t know it yet. We are here to set fires.
“If you want to build a ship,” Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, “don’t herd people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather, teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”
How many of us live our lives collecting wood and carrying out tasks instead of learning to long for the endless immensity of the sea? How many of us get caught up in our day to day lives—in the drama and the complications—instead of learning to long for the life of no limits that was intended for us?
Mahatma Ghandi once said, “Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.”
It’s time to become the people we were meant to be, to the live the lives we were intended to live. It’s time to take control of our lives, instead of letting ourselves be controlled. It’s time to take charge, to love without abandon, question without hesitation, dream without guidelines, live without limitations. It’s time to stir up the dust in our lives, to reawaken the child within, and to revive the dreams we once let die. It’s time to start some fires.
It’s time to be the purple socks and red shoes in a room full of black. It’s time to crazy and fearless, to do the things that others are not willing, to stand out, to leave an impression, to make some difference that we lived at all. It’s not going to be easy, but it will be worth it.
It’s time to shed that shyness and be bold. It’s time to chase after our dreams like our life depended on it, because it does. It’s time to let go and go all out, because when we do, we give others permission to do so as well.
It’s time to be the lighted match in a field of dead of grass and set this world on fire.
“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
http://www.audioa.com/lyrics.aspx?cid=194&iid=119949
YES WE CAN !! I cant believe I just used that line.
that was probably one of the most insperational things ive ever read. ^_-
nice nice nice.
Reply: Glad you enjoyed it!
Lovely, Chanel. You always seem to write just what I need to read. Thanks. =)
That was really nice to read. It’s got me thinking, Thank you.
[...] Here’s to a happy, healthy, prosperous, new year filled with fabulous, outrageous, over-the-top fun, excitement, growth and adventure—whenever that “new year” may start for you. No matter where you are in life, tomorrow can be the first day of the rest of your life. Now go start some fires! [...]
Hi Chanel, my wife just recommended that I check out your blog. She thought I would like the design (I’m a web designer). I do like the design, but wow, I’m even more impressed with your words.
I love-this-article. It speaks volumes of what needs to be shouted and screamed. We can’t be quiet and shy, we must be bold and unabashed.
I’m working on an book right now (actually just finished) called Reclaim Your Dreams. So this really touched me. Thanks for writing this Chanel. I’ll definitely be back.
Wow, great post. I am a middle aged 42 year old who is often accused of not growing up. This can be both good and bad at my age. I haven’t changed the world, but I do appreciate all that life has to offer and my favorite book “The House at Pooh Corner” sits neatly on my desk next to “The Confessions of St. Augustine”…..which are not as opposite sides of the pendulum as one would think. Pooh is rather wise in his silly old bear ways. He knows the value of true friendship, tries to deal with his honey addiction and takes his days slowly enough to sing little songs that he makes up and visit his neighbors.
We all could learn a thing or two from Pooh Bear…..
LOL, cheers and have a wonderful Monday.
Hi Chanel,
I stumbled upon this piece today and it has truly sparked something in me!
I recently started a small business and have just landed a huge job that is scaring the pants off me (though it is the job I secretly have always dreamed I would get).
Many thoughts crossed my mind today about turning it down because of how big it is and how out of my ‘safe-zone’ it is. I kept thinking I should stick with what I know and leave the big challenging exciting jobs to other people.
This page has inspired me to run with it, its an opportunity to light some fire and I’m going to damn well take it!!! “live without limitations”… yes I will!
Thank you, thank you!
Emily :)
I Love this!