“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.” Langston Hughes

As a young boy, my life was full of dreams. I would sit there, as I believe many young children do, and fantasize about the things I wanted to do when I grew up. Some of those fantasies were far-fetched, of course. But regardless, they made me feel good to visualize a life of exciting new possibilities. Sadly, as I grew into my teens, my life took a turn for the worse. I began to experiment with drugs and went down a path of crime and self-destruction; thereby, extinguishing the aspirations I had for my future

After sitting in prison for a few years, I realized I could still fulfill some of those dreams I had as a child. Dreams that were still dormant inside of me. But to do so would require extreme discipline and self-perseverance in a place plagued with limited resources and minimal opportunities. I decided to pursue them anyway.

After going through a spiritual transformation (by accepting Christ Jesus as my Lord and Savior), I picked up a guitar, and practiced a song for three hours a day for thirty days (extreme maybe), they played it in church. Years later, I’m one of the worship leaders in the Christian services here in prison. I also wanted to advance my education to the highest peak possible. At this juncture, I’m on the last leg of finishing a Doctorate degree in Christian Counseling and Therapist Certification.

For me, it took coming to a place of darkness for God to open my eyes and show me that my dreams are still possible. For you, it may be a different story. You’re likely in a better position to find greatness in your life. You’re likely surrounded with more opportunities and resources than anyone in my shoes would ever have. Therefore, use whatever is at your disposal. Don’t let your dream die with you.

Remember that beautiful aspiration you had growing up? Remember that dream you wished one day you would accomplish?

It can still happen. Perhaps you wanted to pursue a career in athletics, but you’re allowing the days to pass you by without heeding that still small voice telling you it’s still possible, or you wanted to be a great engineer because you love to draw and build things, or you wanted to pursue a career in the medical field for you have great empathy and get satisfaction from helping others; or you wanted to be a great writer because words, themes, plots, and characters come easily for you; or even yet, maybe you wanted to be a lawyer because rules of law are easy for you to understand.

Whatever your dream is, it’s just waiting for you to give it shape and form. Most times all you have to do is buckle up and put in the work required to make it happen.

You’re the captain of your own ship. You choose in which direction to set your life-sails to fulfill your dreams. And if you’re unaware of what those dreams are, it’s likely because you haven’t taken the time to search your heart to find out what moves you and inspires you; or you haven’t asked the dream-giver (God) to reveal them to you.

I was having a conversation with a great friend who I truly admire. Her name is Karen. She was telling me about how much she had suffered and had been unable to fulfill her dreams. I said, “Look, life doesn’t always play fair. Oftentimes, it doesn’t play by the rules we think it oughta.”

Yet that doesn’t mean you can’t succeed in life. It doesn’t mean you still can’t pursue the dreams you had as a child. What happened to you in the past should stay in the past. And God has the power to block out your negative circumstances and those painful memories from your past. Don’t allow past hurts or other people to dictate the pages of your life story.

You have the power to decide on how you want it to play out. You have the power to see your life with a new determination and courage and conviction. Don’t allow any more time to pass you by without realizing what’s in your heart to do.” She remained quiet for quite some time. I could hear her breathing over the phone.
Then she said, “Thank you.”

Now she’s disciplining herself to become a novel writer. Something she always wanted to pursue in life.

You see, we have the power to choose whether our dreams come alive or die with us. And when we choose the first instead of the latter, unexpected things begin to happen. The Universe opens up new opportunities that weren’t there before. God activates our faith to believe our dreams are possible.

At this precise moment, there are many talents and gifts embedded in you. It is your responsibility to unearth them. It is your responsibility to pursue them. Oftentimes you just need to change your self-perception and remove that veil of inadequacy and fear that may be deterring you from greatness.

Don’t let your dream die with you. Begin to work on it today.  #freedwinrubis