Keep Your Dreams Big

"Keep your dreams big," he said to me, "because, even if you only get half-way, you've gone further than most." This wisdom was shared as we rode along through a blue and silvery winter night in his Rolls Royce Silver Cloud. He was, of course, impeccably dressed while I...well...I was in the '70's day-glow-orange-with-the-gold-stripe Burger Thing uniform. Yeah I know, I've imagined that scene many different ways since that night over thirty years ago.

I was working nights (and not on music) because I had a baby, and a husband to put through school at the time. My gentleman driver was considering buying some Burger Thing franchises, so I was asked to show him around. I had no idea what he was driving when I accepted his offer of a ride home in the snow and I must say, my heart did a little jump as I walked out of the front doors to see the classic lines of this beautiful car waiting for me.

In those comfortable leather seats and warm space we sat talking for quite a while. He asked me about my life, my dreams and I, like any twenty-one year-old, let loose and told him of my passion for singing, performing, writing, being a good parent, supportive partner...and on and on I went. I knew it sounded like I needed a few lifetimes to do it all, and it was all feeling so very far away from that orange polyester pantsuit that I laughed at myself. That's when he gave me the gift of his advice, which I've never forgotten.

The following year we moved to New York and I began to make the music connections that were to lead me to working with some of the best musicians around, the road bands and session players for some of the biggest names in Rock and Roll. I began a wonderful songwriting partnership and lived a bunch of my dreams in performing, writing and recording.

I tucked all these memories in my heart and headed west, nearly fifteen years ago now, different dreams bringing me back to the edge of the Salish Sea. I remember starting to write IYN and getting to know the other writers in the core group that began it. Each of us branched-out from this very supportive space, into some of our other writing, artistic and spiritual dreamscapes. Still we share them with each other, as friends do.

Here in my 55th. year I hear my friend in the Rolls Royce once again. I live in paradise, above Joe's Bay in Home, watching the eagles and osprey fish while I sit here at my desk writing. After joining the Watermark Writers Group on the Key Peninsula this year, I was invited to perform in a different way than I have in the past forty years. Instead of singing with my band, I read some of my poems, prose and ramblings at Jerry and Pam Libstaff's house concert series "Words & Music" and, thanks to them, in September I opened a box to lift out yet another dream for my string of pearls.

I have from time to time shared some poetry IYN, and now I'm pleased to share with you the news of my first book of poetry, and some illustrations. I'm here to tell you, it feels pretty darn good to hold a dream in your hands. Don't let anyone tell you to pull your dreams back to some "realistic standard" in this lifetime. Keep your dreams big. Even if you only get half-way there, you've gone further than most. Oh yes, and dreams get better with age.

Should you be interested, books can be ordered through www.watermarkwriters.com

I'm also excited to take part in "The Key At Kiana: Art, Words and Music" November 14th. Stay tuned for more on your chance to meet artists, authors and singer-songwriters in one of our areas most gorgeous settings. I can't wait to show and tell you more...it's gonna be dreamy!