We need time to dream, time to remember,
and time to reach the infinite.
Time to be.
~ Gladys Taber ~
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A cheery good morning to you, my dear reader friends, on this very cold late January day. Oh, how good it is to be back in this corner sharing with you...I do hope you have enjoyed a slow, peaceful, beautiful start to this new year.
In my corner of the world, we have already seen three mini-snowfalls, mostly just ground coverings, but any bit of white goodness from the sky, I will happily accept and celebrate. Our days have been a mixture of bright and sunny and others grey and rainy, sometimes even stormy. The temperatures were unseasonably warm until just a couple weeks ago, and now we are absolutely delighting in the true, proper weather that January should bring. 'Tis the season of thick socks, fleece-lined leggings, boots and warm sweaters. Yes, please!
As I sit here in my comfy chair, a single candle flickering beside me and fairy lights twinkling above my window, our little golden tabby nudging her way into my lap for some cuddles and attention, I am reminded of just how simple happiness really is. How simple beauty and goodness and delight are. And how simple dreams are sometimes the best ones there are.
Every person breathing on this earth has dreams...or they should. Sometimes we get caught up in the big dreams. The ones that flash in neon lights or which garner attention from the masses. Those are the ones we read about in the magazines and see on the television screens. And too often, they are the only ones that get praised and seen as accomplishments. But I truly, deeply believe that small dreams are important too.
Truth be told, I've never been one to dream those huge, neon light type dreams. I do have some bigger dreams that I keep close to my heart and only those dearest to me know about. But for the most part, my dreams are quite simple and small to most folks. To me, though, they are the world.
C.S. Lewis once said You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. And that is the most certain truth! There are little corners in our hearts and souls that we often hide from view because we feel like they are too small, too ordinary, too simple to mean anything. Those are our hidden places. They are our soul's whispering to us and our heart's gentle nudging towards the paths we are destined to take.
Small dreams, simple or ordinary as they may seem, are no less dreams. And I think we would all do well to listen to our hearts a bit more, follow our soul's leading more confidently and delight in those dreams and in making them come true.
I will tell you about a few of my "small dreams"...
Last spring, on a warm and sunny day, I saw a dream twelve years in the making come true. Baking bread from scratch at home has been my dream since I was a teenager. I'd tried so many recipes I'd lost count and none were all that great to really wow us. We would try a recipe, have our hopes up and then it would be too dense or too squishy when sliced or end up almost a literal brick. And then we'd just end up buying storebought bread again. Then one day last year, I saw a lovely couple on Instagram sharing about their newest venture into baking bread from scratch for themselves each week. Their bread looked soft and airy, not at all dense and their slices looked perfect. I quickly printed out the recipe they shared and lo and behold, a dream had come true. Almost a year later, that bread is still our go-to and a double batch gets baked every other week here in our home.
Another "small dream" of mine was sewing curtains for my bedroom window. I had a distinct style and color scheme I wanted, and the vision was as clear as ever in my mind. I knew that I probably wouldn't find anything like it in the shops...and I was correct. So two summers ago, a project that lasted about a week, ended up in the most gorgeous curtains I could have dreamed of. They are a patchwork design with lots of happy, cheery colors and floral or polka dot patterns. Every time I see them, I still smile because they are a dream come true.
And finally, just a few weeks ago another "small dream" of mine came true when I surpassed my reading goal for the year. Not only did I surpass the number of books I had hoped to read in 2021, but I met a new record in the number of books I've ever read in one year. To many this may not seem like that big of a deal...none of these things probably do, but to me, this was a grand achievement. I had struggled with reading for a number of years and didn't think I would ever find the delight that I once had in this pastime, but happily, I was wrong. And on top of that, I came across some really wonderful authors and awesome books last year, too!
I need to be reminded, quite often in fact, that any dream is a meaningful, important, worth-following dream. Sometimes I get caught up in my bigger dreams not having come true yet that I miss out on these sweet moments right before me. While it's good to keep dreaming those bigger dreams, chasing them as much as is in our control, and trusting fate and destiny with the rest, it's incredibly crucial to live right now. Today. In the present. Those things will come along in their perfect time and way, but these smaller dreams are just as good and worth celebrating. It's important to not only pursue these smaller dreams but to also continuously dream new dreams, too. I think these past couple years have really drained a lot of us of that dreaming aspect of our lives, but it's time we claim it back. Set some new dreams in place. Listen to that voice inside and see where it leads us. No dream is too small or ordinary or simple if it brings us happiness, peace, delight, beauty, magic or a smile to our days and lives. And honestly, I need to be reminded of this a whole lot. I've been wiped out of any dreaming these past couple years and have felt like a desert in my heart and soul and imagination. But it's time for the waterfalls of imagination to flow freely and the winds of magical dreaming to blow wildly again.
Friends, please take my personal stories and small-dreams-coming-true as an encouragement to pursue those small dreams of your heart. Maybe it's growing a simple tomato plant or rose bush in the garden. Maybe it's learning to bake a specific sort of bread or cake at home from scratch. Maybe it's trying out a new handicraft or expanding your skills in a craft you already enjoy. Maybe it's going for an afternoon walk each day. Perhaps it's dying your hair a fun color just for something different or getting your ears pierced. That was a dream I had since I was eight years old and finally it came true when I was 22...once I got over completely psyching myself out over the fear of it! Maybe you dream of painting your mailbox or front door a cheerful color and not care what the neighbors think. Maybe it's the dream of dressing in clothes that feel like you, with no attention to the trends or what others may say. Maybe...
Whatever your dreams are, even if they seem small, ordinary, or simple, listen to your soul's whisper and follow your heart's gentle leading towards these things...we were meant for happiness and delight and wonder and beauty and goodness. We were meant to dream and to follow those dreams.
Even if they are "small".
Because I highly doubt they feel small to you.
And so as a new year is just beginning, may this be a year of following those small dreams and pursuing happiness even if it's in ordinary and simple things. I've found that's where true happiness lies anyway.
May your day be a magical one, dear friends! Stay cozy and be well...
Until next time!
♥
If you desire to share your own heart, I'd love to hear about some of your own small dreams...ones that are growing in your heart at the moment or ones that have already come true. I think sharing stories and experiences is one of the best ways to encourage dreaming in one another, so I invite you to share your heart here. You're more than welcome in this space!