Feet On The Ground, Head In The Clouds

When I was a little girl, I couldn’t get my hands on enough books. For a child of only 7-10 years old, I was well aware of my bookworm status, completely absorbed in my fantasy world of Nancy Drew, “How To Eat Worms” (Thomas Rockwell), Erma Bombeck and the entire series, “The Chronicles of Narnia” (C.S. Lewis). I wasn’t the girl playing jump rope or four square with the other girls. I was the girl swinging on the swing, singing a song I just wrote and dreaming of some fictional fantasy land somewhere which promised to whisk me away from all of my troubles. Somewhere where I was truly loved and accepted. I was the girl who made up skits at recess and tried to get the other children to play the parts. For even as a small child, I knew there was something different about me. I dreamt, I fantasized and I found myself in these books, and these books gave me hope- hope that some day, I would be the Princess, the Warrior, the Detective or the Hero: The Girl Who Saved The World.
In my lifetime, thus far, I been fortunate to wear many of those hats, but I still haven’t saved the world. Many lovers have referred to me as their “Princess” and for the duration of their delusional expectations of me attached to an amorous facade, I actually felt like one. To love and feel completely accepted, even within that small, elated moment- well, there’s no greater feeling. Unfortunately, the pedestal wobbles and topples, causing us to crash onto the floor, and the sad, cold, and harsh reality of living in an imperfect world with high expectations takes it’s heavy toll and we soon find out that, indeed, we are not the Princess in the story after all, married to a Prince, but rather, a Chamber Maid married to the drunk in the town tavern.
If I had my choice, with absolutely no obstacles whatsoever, I’d be the Girl Who Saved The World. Yes, I’d give up the chance of wearing the tiara, walk away from all luxury, fight the good fight, get my hands dirty, and save the world, one by one. I realize it’s quite the daunting task, and that there’s no way in my short life expectancy that I could possibly save everyone. But I have this philosophy and truth that I hold on to: That every man in his inherent nature has the will to be a good man. So even if I can’t save the world, perhaps all of my work will not be vain, but rather, if I can touch enough lives, those amazing lives will touch other lives and in time, we just might save us all.
I believe it starts with One, but One person can’t do it all, it’s going to take all of us. I have the faith that we can do it. But we’ve got to accept that we’re going to make mistakes, that we are going to fail-perhaps many times. But if we don’t give up or give in, if we fall down and stand back up, if we trudge up the hill in the mud and rain but keep on going, we will succeed.
I may never be a Princess, and I, myself, may never save the world, but that’s not going to stop me from believing that it’s possible, or from trying. I’m going to pray every night, forgive myself and others, accept my faults and I’m going to start over again every morning with the break of dawn. I’m going to see myself and others as beautiful and amazing, regardless of our imperfections. I’m going to have faith and be persistent, and I’m going to watch as our small towns, cities, states, countries…governments…the world changes. I may not save the world, but by God when I leave here, there will be change and that change is what will make the difference to each and every new generation until every human being and animal alike is free and equal, loved and accepted just as they are: Beautiful Perfectly Imperfect Beings.
This is my dream. This is my reality.