| After the birth of my first child earlier this month, | | | | potential. |
| I was overcome with emotion. Thoughts of joy | | | | I hear all of the talk surrounding the rich and |
| and fear raced through my head while tears | | | | famous, athletes, actors, actresses, church |
| welled up in my eyes. From the moment she | | | | leaders, and politicians who fall from grace. I think |
| came in to the world, an overwhelming sense of | | | | that we are angrier that they achieved the lofty |
| endless possibilities is constant in my mind. Each | | | | dreams we once had for ourselves and lost it |
| time I hold her, I am swept away by her power. | | | | than we ever are for their transgressions. We |
| Tiny, fragile, and innocent, yet she is powerful | | | | take it as a personal insult that one would attain |
| beyond comprehension. | | | | such fame, fortune, and privilege then give it all up |
| I promised her that I will provide her all the | | | | through bad choices or addictions. On the other |
| nurturing, support, and love I can in her journey | | | | hand, we sabotage our lives in a similar, though |
| to fulfill her dreams, whatever they may be. Then | | | | less grandiose way on a daily basis. We settle for |
| it struck me, will I uphold that promise? After all, I | | | | being less than we are capable of becoming. |
| once made a similar commitment to myself, and | | | | You may not be exactly where or what you |
| others, but fell short. Or have I? Sure, my | | | | thought you would be in life right now but |
| dreams may be different now than they were | | | | wherever or whatever you are, you are. And, |
| when I was a child, but I still find that I have | | | | that beats the alternative. If you want your |
| them. I realize that my phone won't ring on Major | | | | situation to change, identify the number one |
| League Baseball's draft day, just as it has | | | | excuse you afford yourself, and lose it forever. |
| remained silent for twenty years. But, I am quite | | | | See yourself exactly where and exactly as you |
| sure that it will ring with business opportunities, or | | | | want to be and take positive action to move in |
| creative projects, or even simply with friends or | | | | that direction. To simply sit back and hope for |
| family who just want to catch up. Regardless, the | | | | change is wasting valuable time. How much time |
| dream is alive. | | | | have you got? Since I doubt you know the |
| I believe that we are often far too hasty to | | | | answer, I suggest you get going. |
| judge our success or failure in life. For as long as | | | | Start thinking bigger than you have allowed |
| we remain, the outcome has yet to be | | | | yourself to think in years. Stop setting the bar so |
| determined. We are only as stuck or as limited as | | | | low that there is no longer a thrill when you reach |
| we allow ourselves to be. We make excuses and | | | | it. Challenge yourself to achieve greatness and to |
| call them sacrifices. We accept survival and a | | | | help others achieve it as well. Millions of dreams |
| mediocre existence as a way of life. Our | | | | will be dreamt this day. Some will even be |
| circumstance is tolerable but not ideal, but hey, | | | | realized, but by who? Why not you, why not |
| there are those who have it worse, right? Wrong! | | | | now? |
| There is nothing worse than giving up on our own | | | | |