How many of you have wished upon a star in your childhood years, and even later? A good many of us, I'm sure. Maybe your wish covered several things, or maybe it was always the same.
My second oldest granddaughter is a Junior at the University of Arkansas, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. She's had a dream and wished on a star for many years, and yesterday, a big step toward realizing it came true. She was awarded an internship at Disneyworld for the second semester.
She wrote the following on Facebook. Needless to say, we are happy for her and proud of her; Gracen said:
If you know me at all, you know that since I was 7 years old, I have wanted to be an engineer for Disney. Although it’s normal to abandon childhood ambitions, I always held mine close. It was something to look forward to, it was a happy thought in times of sadness and stress, it was a dream. Well, wishing upon those stars every night is FINALLY paying off and step one of this dream is FINALLY coming true. In January, I will be moving to Florida to participate in the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World!!! I’m still in absolute shock and also on Cloud 9!! Thank you to everyone who has ever supported me or encouraged me. 💚
I'm sharing because many writers have lived with a dream since childhood or young adulthood, and on to maturity. Note Gracen's line it's normal to abandon childhood ambitions,...Writers are people who have not abandoned their childhood ambitions. If anything, they have grown stronger with the years.
Is it easy? Certainly not. As we've explored many times, a writer's journey is filled with potholes as he/she progresses along the path. Potholes, roadblocks, storms and more. If your writing dream is strong, you'll hang on and move past those glitches, one by one.
You may feel like you take two steps back for every one forward. There are times like that. It's when you have to keep that dream in your mind alive. Think about the dream each time you hit a problem.
I admit, if you get five rejections in a row, it could be pretty difficult to see that dream. A big, black cloud might slide across it temporarily. Note, I said 'temporarily.'
Who can keep your dream alive? Others can encourage you, but it's only you who can hold onto the dream and keep it growing. Our Gracen is 20, so she kept her dream going for 13 years. Some of us will take even longer. If what you are striving for is truly important to you, that won't matter at all.
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Nancy, thanks for sharing your granddaughter's dream. Reminding us old folks to not give up, is important. I've often said that the things we had fun doing as a child can follow us into adulthood. Those jobs often make the most rewarding careers.
ReplyDeleteCongratulationsto Gracen. What an experience and practical education. Definitely a dream big story that ended well.
ReplyDeleteThank you - I needed to read this just now, having just received an "interesting" rejection on a full MS. I was so happy, too. But twas not to be, so I have to keep my dreams alive some other way. Thanks for this post. :) Xxx
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll submit somewhere else. Keep your dream alive.
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