There is always that place we go to when we close our eyes and let imagination take flight. As a child we find solace in this place. We go there to be lifted from the ties that bind us, stress that presses upon us, and when we need to grasp dreams.
In this place we are not limited by anything and are given a freedom unmatched by anything else tangible. It is here where we see ourselves as we truly are beyond perceptions placed upon us. This is where the heart of our innermost dreams dwells.
As a child my favorite playground toy was the swing-set. I would climb into that swing and pump myself higher and higher, closing my eyes and taking flight to this dream world. At some point I would fly free of my body, soar above the trees and play tag with birds. I was weightless and free. Nothing held me to any limitations.
Childhood is fleeting. We are somehow pushed to grow up too fast but there is something also within us that seeks to be older and wiser. Time passes and in our busy lives we often fail to close our eyes and soar. At some point we discover this folly.
Lately I find myself becoming reacquainted with my soaring place of solace. Perhaps age has brought me back to a place I should never have left for such a long time. Recently I have been unhappy with the face I see in the mirror. I ask myself if it is the time written in lines beside my eyes or perhaps just wistful sadness of time, which should have been better spent.
Youth is wasted? Hardly. We are the sum of our past and often better because of it. We can allow experiences to tie us to the weighty place of regrets which do not allow us to soar or we can let loose and then learn again to soar.
Lately I have become to frequent my soaring place of solace more often. I often ponder afterward what exactly triggered my need to soar. As a child we soared because it was expected of us. We flew to our dreams often and it was not unusual to live within them for periods of time. Last night I soared because I needed to feel free from disappointment in myself.
We are often much harder on ourselves than we are on anyone else. I know I hold myself to a standard that I’d never hold to anyone else. That does not mean I expect more of myself … but that I rarely give myself credit for just an attempt. We tend to allow failures to scream louder than our successes. Remember when a skinned knee was the only price we paid? Though painful, skinned knees are temporary. Success resonates.
I soar. I soar higher lifting myself above the disappointment and gain renewed hope. Leaving regret and embracing hope hard and steadfast, I insist on pushing higher. Wind blows thru my hair and tickles my ears. Laughter and whimsy fills my heart again. Soaring is better than any drug and it is free of side effects. Well that is not true. The side effects are wonderful. It is why we soar in the first place.
So … I want to encourage you all to remember to soar. Your dreams are still there and you will leave better equipped to obtain them. You will be reminded that you are far more than you give yourself credit for. You will find that soaring should be encouraged … and I … am looking for a swing-set. I plan on soaring more often.
