Don't Stop Believing

Don’t stop believing … yes, I know, the song will be running through my head all day too!

We often hear that we should 'have faith', 'hope for,''look forward,' ‘stay strong.' and though the message is carried by the words, they seem a little passive for my tastes.

Believe. That is all. Simple, but powerful. One word. One message. Active verb. No question. You either do or you don’t. No,“I think so” or “perhaps.” No.“I will try.”  Believe.

I Believe in the Fairytale. Does that mean I am believing in a wolf accosting a red-hooded young woman or in a trail of breadcrumbs that will lead me to a gingerbread house? Of course not. Does it imply that the preconceived notions of religion and feminists and romantics and glossy magazines have dictated my hopes and dreams? I think not. Does it show that experience, wisdom, and years of loving and loss have, like water running over a stone in a stream, refined my choices?

In a world full of many more than 50 shades of grey, sometimes we need to simply look at the black and the white. Choices are made every day. Easy choices and difficult choices. Our society has become so concerned with offending or not offending, fear of being sued or ridiculed—or worse being immortalized on social media-or not, and the many times we have allowed the excuse of our stress filled lives to take precedence over doing what we believe is right. I can’t, I don’t feel like it, I’m too busy.

Everything is an option. Nothing is important. There is always tomorrow. Someone else will handle it. We live in a time when connecting with friends and family can be done in an instant from anywhere in the world yet no one really talks anymore. They may be texting or checking a status as they half listen for a pause which prompts them to engage. Heads down, ear buds in, we exist in our own little bubble while missing the world around us.   

 The grey serves a purpose, the bubble serves a purpose, analyzing the facts serve a purpose. Life is made up of ever changing options, but at the root of it all, we need to believe in our choices. Believe in the future, believe in those that touch our lives, believe in ourselves. It isn't always easy, it requires hope and faith and strength, but it will move you forward, closer to your own fairytale. Feel it deep in your soul. Be present. Be fearless. Believe.

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