Dream and follow your heart
I met my friend, Carole, when we were both single moms. Through the events in our lives we decided to share expenses and live together with a total of 7 children. Through the years of friendship and experiences with our kids and families, we developed a system of weaving our dreams through ideas on napkins, mind mapping, scripting, and following the philosophy that thought directs energy through imagination, focus, attraction and action.
Carole has a special gift in writing. By trade she is a Respitory Therapist. Hospital scheduled hours were long, her legs ached at night, she knew she could not 'fire her boss' and become the author her talents meant her to be. The practical advice of her family lay heavy in her heart. We all have people who show their love for us through worry. Carole had a parent who lived through the depression era, aunts and uncles well known in the community - all with expectations for Carole to be a good provider and less a dreamer. She accepted the added pressures of her 'tribe' with one underlying exception: she would continue to dream! To support that commitment she decided to listen for nurturing and uplifting stories through her work in the hospital. She loved the patients, and the staff; but not the stress and the long hours on her feet.
Every day Carole went about her assignments; working with the patients and the staff, giving them a smile and kindness. Once or twice a week she called me to tell me of at least one patient who shared with her a wonderful glimpse of their dreams, passions, and how they followed their heart. Their stories were full of courage, the unknowns, overcoming their fears. They all told Carole how their hearts had led them through their lives to joy and purpose.
Carole decided to go for it! She moved to another state, found a part time job in a smaller, more community minded hospital. She now lives in a sweet little cottage- worry free - just right for her at this time. She finds herself surrounded by new friends who love and appreciate her alternative healing talents (that supplements her part time paycheck) and has found time to walk by the ocean, climb mountain paths and continue dreaming as she observes her dreams coming to fruition.
Carole makes time to write all those stories full of awesome surprises that come to those who follow their heart through 'imagin-action'.
There is a wonderful book in process. It is full of chapters of incredible people who dared to follow their hearts.
Their stories are true. By choice, those storytellers all made a difference in this world.
I am most certain that Carole's book will make a difference to someone who reads it and decides 'I can do this! I can follow MY heart!'
By: Sally Keele