Shuck: Keeping one foot on the ground, and the other on our dream

How many people, like us, have been told to “stop daydreaming and get to work? You can’t make a living with your head in the clouds.” Well, I dare say that most have heard those words directed toward ourselves. There is some truth in the statement and there is some erroneous advice, as well. Does the statement sound fitted for our journey through life?

We may ask, how we can focus on anything when we’re so divided between what we want to do and what we must, out of necessity do. How can we go in two directions and end up attaining our passion? When we are young we often think that we can start at the top and fill the roles of others that have performed the job for years, or have completed intensive training in a field. Disregarding the advice coming from responsible, experienced and successful adults, the immature often state, “I have to pursue, my dream” and they jump in, head first, to begin what they believe will be fulfilling. So the immature and experienced in life refuse to start at the bottom of a vocation or job and flounder for years wondering why he isn’t successful. He is over his head and feels as if he isn’t attaining his dream. Instead he keeps his head in the clouds without securing the background and preparation he needs to reach his goal—that pie in the sky that he desires so wholeheartedly. He is trying to fly without the means, the airplane, in which to soar.

One can ask if he will ever become what he desires if he continues in his dead-end job. His longings, constantly fill his mind with dissatisfaction and unrest. As we work at our day job while dreaming of a future end, it is called being practical or staying grounded and responsible. We all must usually take that route unless we miraculously fall into a family business or another such occupation. I have a young relative that fits the scenario of keeping a foot on the ground while living his fantasy within his mind. He would fly out of his skin if he could, and ultimately become a full-time musician. John knows that he has to work, and live now, to survive, so he works for salary presently and does well. After work, however, he looks forward to returning to the seclusion of his apartment to enjoy the peace and serenity that his strumming of his guitar brings. Largely, due a lot to the support and wisdom that his parents have instilled within John, he is listening and tries to keep one of his feet on the ground while working at a job that falls short of his ultimate dream. He works with enthusiasm while, he thinks about his future delight.

As I thought about the diligence of John, my mind journeyed back to a story I heard, once. It was about a boy that worked in a sweat shop. He worked and worked and sweated and sweated, but evidently he possessed much tenacity and forbearance. As he worked and sweated, he looked outside the dirty windows surrounding the hot smelly workplace. He hated the job, but tried his best to be as efficient and amicable as he could. Although his spirits became low sometimes, he remained determined. This was because his mind was filled with pictures of what he dreamed. Pictures of success, beauty and love filled his mind for his future. The end of the story revealed that his determination, tenacity, having his head in the clouds and dreaming came to fruition. Eventually he left the sweat shop and reached his most coveted dream. Matthew 7:7-8 0ffers encouragement when the Scripture says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Indeed, we can successfully work and fanaticize at the same time, as long as we keep one of our feet on the ground while holding onto those dreams with the other.