Daily Archives: June 10, 2008

Dreams and Reality

Lessons from Life – by Nancy Farrier

Not long ago, my seven-year-old grandson, who lives in Southern Arizona, went to his mother with a request for a pet of his own. The conversation went something like this:

“What kind of pet do you want?”

“I want an Arctic Fox,” my grandson said.

“An Arctic Fox? Why?”

“Because they’re white and they’re cute, and I’d like one.”

“But an Arctic Fox lives where it’s very cold. We live in the desert. I think an Arctic Fox would get too hot here,” his mother said.

“I could keep him in the freezer,” my grandson said.

“Well, the arctic is a long ways to go for a pet,” his mother said.

“No, it’s only five miles. You can drive there,” my grandson said.

Needless to say, my grandson hasn’t gotten the pet he wants. His dilemma reminds me of my writing life and the obstacles I come up against. Too many times there are distractions or discouragements that face me at every turn. My great story idea, the one that will impact many, doesn’t sound as good to an editor. Even a passing remark from a friend, that isn’t intended to discourage, can make me wonder why I even write.

Yet, I can’t give up. Just like my grandson and his enthusiasm for a pet that won’t fit with his lifestyle, or isn’t practical, I have to run with my ideas with all the abandon of a seven-year-old. Yes, there are times when reality rears its head, and I have to settle for a prairie dog instead of an arctic fox. When that happens, I’ve learned to get enthused about the prairie dog. At least I won’t have to look at it every time I open the freezer.