Hello All!
I'm back!!! Wow...it has been some time since I've "blogged" for you. It was a time of metamorphosis for me and for my purpose, but here we are...back and in tact! :0)
Many people know that I love reading. I find so many monumental messages in books, both fiction and nonfiction. But, my favorite stories ever told are found in the Good Book. However, during this time of recalculation and rebirth for me...I want to focus on one of my other favorite works of rich literature by Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God. This beautiful novel of discovery, transformation, resislence and showing gratitude to our higher power as manifested in nature, starts off with one of the most quoted and analyzed few lines in literature. (This week..I will only focus on these few lines in this blog series.)
"Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time. That is the life of men."
The Despondent Angel. (2007) Retrieved July 26, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DespondentAngelMetCemHead.jpg
I know it seems awkward that such of an accomplished, educated, advocate for women like Hurston would start her novel talking about men. Especially a novel that deals with a woman's quest for her authentic self and real love. But, the way it sets the backdrop and tempo of the story is sheer artistic genius. A true God given gift that was apparent in her writing. A statement that we all probably read and said out loud to our selves "umm-umm-umm". You know why? Because we can ALL identify with those lines!!!!
We have all had dreams that never came to shore and we have had dreams that may have come in with the tide. But, where does our focus and mind stay the most? On those dreams...those visions...those purposes that we could never land, that we could never give birth to, that we had to watch taunt us from a distance until we could not take the mockery of it all and had to turn away from the dream in resignation. Wow...that's a strong noun...resignation. The dictionary terms that word to mean an accepting, unresisting attitude, or state; submission; acquiescence. Submission...acquiescence. This gets deeper and deeper...right?
Let me say this...what you focus on the longest becomes the strongest. Yes...we are all dreamers and know that we were all placed here for a purpose. We are all part of a grander picture that requires all of our input to impact the totality. So, often those dreams that are in our guts waiting to burst free can make us almost sick...downright despondent when they do not come to pass. But, is that how we should respond to our "dreams deferred" as Langston Hughes called them?
Or instead...can we forgive ourselves more. Give ourselves permission to recalculate. Give ourselves permission to cry and lament and then get over it and keep it moving. Give ourselves the network, the knowledge, and the staying power to try to go for it in a different way or restructure what it is we are attempting to do. Lest we forget the word "submission" in our definition of resignation. See...that is what we should be doing anyway. Submitting...not to our own will, but to God's will. He might keep some of those dreams out to sea for a reason. They may not be what he has for your purpose. That ship could come to shore and land itself right on top of you taking you out of the game of life totally. You know your grandma told you "chile...everything that glitters ain't gold!" Stop trying to force that relationship to work, stop chasing money and chase your Master's purpose for your life, stop making it about you and make it about serving others, stop complaining and practice some gratitude for a change. Then...we may see more ships coming to shore that are meant to lead us on our life's journey toward our true purpose. You may think this is contrary to popular belief, but submission is a good thing. It means you are willing to accept that you control nothing, you are willing to let things go as not to become tainted by this Earthly life, and that you are willing to have faith in your Creator and His plan for you and free yourself to hearing from Him in whatever form it may come.
Shakespeare is often credited with saying, "Nothing is so common as the wish to be remarkable." Let's work on being remarkable according to the calling on our lives and on purpose.
I love you all..good to be back...look for our new website coming soon and as always....
We'll talk!!
Carmellita
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