Stars are within your Reach

As the new school year has started people think about their future, what they want to learn, and how their life will turn out. Will they accomplish their dreams? I have always told my kids that they can do anything that they want to do. If they work hard, have enough passion and never give up they can accomplish something.

My son Cameron wants to be either a Paleontologist or a Lego Builder. What do you think I say to him? Do I tell him, sorry there’s not many jobs needed there? Or Building Legos isn’t really a job. Nope, not even close. I tell him that is amazing. Being a Paleontologist would be so awesome, and if you are a Lego Builder, I would come visit you at Lego Land. Maybe he won’t do either of those things, maybe that’s just the spark he needs to find his real dreams. Maybe he will be a Scientist or write books about dinosaurs or become an Architect.  Whatever he does, or all my kids for that matter, makes them happy.

There is a quote that says “The poorest person in the world is the one that only has money.” What is the point having a good, well-paying job if you don’t like it? I have thought a lot about my own dreams and aspirations. I am a mom who dabbles in little hobbies here and there. When I was younger I wanted to be a nurse (I’m married to one—does that count?). From Junior High on I wanted to be a reporter, a teacher, a mom, a writer, and a Sign Language Interpreter.  I think about that and think I am all of those things. As a stay at home mom I am a teacher, and a nurse. I use my free time (what’s that- oh nap time) to write on my blog and different stories. And the sign language—well let’s just say that knowing some Sign Language has come in handy a few times. Also I have taught my kids some of it as well.

So I am doing all of the things that I wanted to do. I am happy at where I am in my life and I think that is all that matters. We need to be happy. We may not all accomplish everything we dreamed we would, but sometimes you shoot for the moon and find a star instead. And stars are beautiful, without darkness you can’t see the stars.  Don’t quit, stars are within reach.

J.K. Rowling

The well-known author has been on my mind lately. Last week it was her birthday who she shares with her famous character Harry Potter. After seeing a recent episode of Who Do You Think You Are? I learned that she also shares that day with her Great Grandfather.

J.K. Rowling (Jo) started a phenomenon for readers and writers alike. She brought imagination and fantasy and she modernized it and brought it to life for millions. I didn’t read her books until about 10 years ago. But she has inspired many other writers and it just set off and opened the door to imagination.

“There’s always room for a story that can transport people to another place.” ~J.K. Rowling

I watched the WDYTYA episode and as I watched her go back through time learning about her ancestors I realized how as they made decisions and accomplished goals that affected their family down the line, she did the same. We can learn more than wizardry from JK Rowling. She has taught us about hope, and determination and never giving up.

When she was a single mother she would write in a little café and rocked her baby’s stroller as she wrote. No matter what our circumstances, how much money we have and where we live, we all have our imagination. We can all dig deep and find what we love and do it.

From her journey on WDYTYA She learned about a lot about her family. Love, heartbreak and rising from a fall. About her 2^nd Great Grandmother “I feel we are what we are because of her bravery.”

   
 
 

Our lives are all important and worth something. I’m sure she never imagined that a little story about an orphan wizard would start a wild fire of stories. We all have something to give and we can all be important and remembered to someone. That is what I love about Genealogy. There are so many stories out there.  J.K. Rowling once said “No story lives unless someone wants to listen.” I am listening and that is why I am trying to find my families stories. I can learn so much from my ancestors.

 

Words

 

“I have hated words, and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” That is from The Book Thief. I have had this thought many times in my writing. I have also had this thought in life in general. Words can really be everything to someone. I’m not sure if you have seen this video going around Facebook, but I cried when I saw it.

We all have had our moments when we didn’t really believe we had worth. Where we didn’t think anyone cared, but it’s not true. As women we need to support each other and be there for each other always. I loved how that was the theme of last night’s General Women’s Conference.

I loved how Sister Oscarson, the General Young Women’s President quoted Marjory Hinckley. “Sisters, we are all in this together. We need each other. Oh, how we need each other. Thos of us who are old need you who are young. And, hopefully, you who are young need some of us who are old. It is a sociological fact that women need women. We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other. These friendships are a necessary source of sustenance. We need to renew our faith every day. We need to lock arms and help build the kingdom so that it will roll forth and fill the whole earth.”

Think of what we can do if we support each other. Think of what we can do with words. Think of what our words as writers can do for many people. We can encourage, inspire, support, make someone laugh, cry, and be able to keep moving on. I loved what Sister Wixom told of the 90 year old woman who said, “If rewriting life, I would not include some chapters. I would like to live a little longer to see how it ends.” I think it is true in all of our lives. There are definitely parts we would like to leave out, but those hard times, with the support of others is what gets us to the end.

In the movie Saving Mr. Banks, Walt Disney said, “George Banks and all he stands for will be saved. Maybe not in life, but in imagination, because that’s what we storytellers do. We instill hope again and again and again.” Writing for me is peaceful, it’s my therapy and medicine. If I can help one person with my words then I have done my part.

Be the words that saves someone. Make a difference in another woman’s life. Support each other in our failures and success. Henry B. Eyring said, “He sees the glorious potential in all of his daughters. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.”