I originally published this in another blog page of mine in 2008, just after my son graduated from Air Force basic training. He is now nearing the end of his first deployment to Iraq.
What the future holds remains to be seen. But I believe in the power of dreams and I believe in the power of prayer. I've seen both answered.
Not every dream comes true, but some do.
Not every prayer is answered just as we might want them to be, but every prayer is answered... just not according to our personal schedule.
This is just a small piece of observation on my part,
of a life,
up close,
from start to the present -
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October, 2008
Since my younger son was old enough to say so, he has wanted to fly airplanes and rocketships.
Kindergarten, first grade, second grade he reiterated his dream to fly. He was unwavering.
A bright fellow, he was bored with school, saw little point to all the mundane things that gradeschoolers have to learn. School was often a struggle for him.
I explained to him that achieving goals was a bit like building a house that we'd like to live in.
I explained to him about foundations and walls and the roof overhead in terms he could grasp and flesh-out for himself in terms of his schooling.
I told him that kindergarten was preparation for first grade, first grade was preparation for second grade, and so on... just like building a house.
As he continued in grade school, he began to see that actions have consequences... those of others... and more importantly, to his own aspirations and dreams, he began to see how his actions bore consequences, to good or ill.
There came a point when he had expressed his utter frustration with boring schoolwork that I laid it out for him with words to this effect: "Look, son... I know school can be boring at times.. sometimes enough to almost drive you out of your skin.. .but you need to stick with it.. make it work for you. Just like building a house, what you work on now is built upon by what you will work on later, and so on.. until you get to where you can begin to realize your dream of flying.
You want to do all that cool stuff like flying airplanes and rocket ships? Well, then, you've got to build your foundation. If you want to do the cool stuff later, you've got to...GOT to... do the "boring" stuff now... you are learning how to learn... learning the things, acquiring the tools you will need later to do the cool stuff. Hold your goals firmly in sight. Know that you can get there, but it will only happen one step at a time.”
Over the years, he demonstrated his grasp on that concept. In high school, he joined the Air Force ROTC program and stuck with it.... he struggled with his high school curriculum, but he stuck to it and graduated. Did pretty good, too.
He recently graduated from Air Force basic training, and is now in tech training school where he is beginning to learn the fundamentals, theory and practicalities of avionics systems.
He has kept true to his vision, the long view for his life. He aims to continue with college education, officer school eventually, and if all works to plan he will fly his planes.. .maybe even be an astronaut.
For a high school graduation present, I gave him a framed copy of Rudyard Kiplings's poem,
"IF".
The poem's opening line had always stuck with me...
"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs..."
In typing the poem out for his gift, I read the poem with new insight...
It was inspiration for both he and I...
and, I believe a springboard for inspiration, a validation for him that he had set a goal and steadfastly held to his dream.. and is now living it.
When I get upset by the news of the day that we are all seeing lately... and wonder what the world is coming to, I think about my son and the living example of goals realized he has shown me.. and then I realize anew that there is always hope, always a dream to be realized...
always a reason to carry on... calmly, in the midst of the storm.
IF
IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
all our sons and daughters, come home safe.)
