We all need to dream.
And I’m learning, over and over, how much we need to share our dreams with others.
It can get lonely, dreaming all by myself. When someone else is willing to dream my little dream with me . . . Ah! How that refreshes my soul. How it instills hope into my wilted dream.
Which brings me to my friend, Roxanne.
Roxanne and I started dreaming about being writers decades ago. Yes, decades. And no, I’m not going to take the time to count exactly how many decades. But let me just say the first time I met Roxanne, she entered my house toting double diaper bags because her now beautiful adult-twin daughters were adorable toddlers.
But I digress.
Back to the dreaming.
We were moms, yes. But we discovered we both had a dream to write: Roxanne wanted to write romance novels. And I wanted to write non-fiction.
And for years we were moms first. Dreamers second.
But we knew each other’s dreams. And we believed in each other’s dreams.
And then Roxanne started writing and attending writers conferences. And she found this writing community: My Book Therapy. She won awards.
And I stayed on my side of the writing road – no voices, thank you very much. And after a time, I began writing too. And I even got published, although some people thought magazines weren’t “real” writing. Ahem.
Our dreams were coming true.
And then real life happened. And, for Roxanne, the writing didn’t. Because really, you can’t write when your heart has been broken. When you’re trusting God with what’s left of your life . . . and yet, trying to figure out how to live.
And a season of burnout somehow became a bend in the writing road for me. And “Never” became a “Yes, I will.” God led me over to the Dark Side of the writing road and helped me realize that hearing voices and writing fiction is a good thing. A very good thing, indeed.
And Roxanne still dreamed my little dream with me … even during a season in her life when her dream seemed distant. Unreachable.
Do I still believe in Roxanne’s dream? Absolutely! There are no expiration dates on dreams.
Because that’s what a dream-your-dream-with-you friend does. They believe with you and for you and in you – no matter what.
Do you have a dream you’re pursuing? Share it with someone who will dream that dream with you. Who will pray for you, believe in you when you don’t, cheer your successes, and comfort you when you’re discouraged.
Do you know someone who is dreaming a little dream? Or a big one? Join them. Pray for them. Believe in them when they doubt their dream. Cheer them on. Comfort them.
You may make all the difference in someone else’s dream coming true.