What Makes You Come Alive?

From the days of absolutely no greater worry than, "What toy should I play with," to the days of reflection on how quickly time passes in its undeniably fleeting way, we as humans are tyring to find out who we are and what we want to become.

It amazes me that we start deciding at such an innocent age, and such an innocent state of mind. Childhood dreams are blooming. We are told that we can do absolutely anything we want, and we believe this whole heartedly. We dream of being things such as astronauts, and ballerinas, pirates and princesses and the more spectacular the idea, the better. While some of these dreams are unrealistic, some are not. I remember wanting to be a gospel singer. I still sing to this day, but I sing at church, not on a stage in front of thousands. I never had the desire to be a firefighter, I could get hurt, and there was no way I would be a ballerina, too much pink frills. I decided I wanted to be an artist in elementry school and to this very day I still want to be an artist. I am a photographer now, but if I could find a way to get paid alot of money to color in a coloring book I might consider being a professional coloring book person (does that even exist)?

As we get older our minds change: sometimes due to a loss of interest or because something far more exciting has come our way. I sometimes wonder where those spectacular dreams of sucess and excitement go. Are they simply forgotten or have we just pushed them so far back into our minds they seem unretrievable by the current adult selves that we have come to be? At what point in our lives do we stop believing in these dreams and abandon them for something that is more acceptable? I sometimes wonder how many of us end up not doing the things we have always wanted to do.

I think we are a nation and a world where success is measured by the size of our income, the size of our house, and our outward appearance. Is that how it is supposed to be? I don't think so, I would hope not. We are all guilty of thinking this way. I am. All of these things are nice, but we often find ourselves searching for happiness. We look continuously, but usually in the wrong places.

So many of us want to follow our dreams but sometimes we stop short because either someone, society, or even worse, we've told ourselves we can't. Why can't we?

I think there is something in all of us that needs an outlet. A time to do that something that we love, that something that makes us happy. I have to do something creative everyday. Even if the creative thing is only a small thing, I need this creative outlet or I don't feel like myself. I feel in someway that I am failing myself, and my needs. I wish we all had time to do the things that we really want to do, I think it is so important.

I read a quote once, probably one of my most favorite quotes I've ever come across. It inspires me when I look at it. I keep it on the refrigerator at home, and I sometimes carry it with me. Seeing it gives me the confidence to do what makes me happy and gives me the confidence to do what makes my heart come alive. "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

I don't know what Harold Thurman Whitman was thinking about when he said this, and I don't think he knew he would inspire people with that one thought, but he has inspired me. I hope it inspires you to do what you love. Just imagine how much more fulfilling life would be if we could all take the time to do the things we love, and took the time to do the things that make us come alive.

So, among the many other goals that I have for myself this year I'm going to really try for this one. To ask myself not what the world needs, but what I need. What things make me happy? But at the same time what kind of gifts can I give back to the ones I love, and what gifts can I give to the world? I need to ask what makes me come alive? What makes you come alive?

God Bless!

Alyssa