Friday, July 12, 2013

On Dreams

 
 
For her 12th birthday, we decided to splurge on horseback riding lessons for my daughter. She's been asking and asking, and this was what she wanted with all her heart. Ask and you shall receive? Oh yes! She is loving her lessons. We cannot afford to give them year round, but as she gets older, she can find a way to make her dreams come true. Sometimes doors open in the most unexpected ways. For now, I enjoy watching her ride, as she dreams of galloping in the woods.
 
Years ago, before I was married, when I was visiting my sister in England, she gave me the gift of a riding lesson on an enormous horse! I don't remember obsessing over horses like my daughter does, but my sister still knew. At the time I never thought about the sacrifices she must've made with three small children to make this dream come true. I loved riding that horse and I never wanted it to end. I am soooo tempted to have a lesson too, but I try to be content. I get such pleasure from watching my daughter ride. I've included a couple of videos even though taking video is not my forte ...  And here's a link to Carbon Leaf's song about some things being best left between a girl and her horse.

 
 
 



Recently we started a family dream journal. We write about big and small things we'd like to do, have, virtues to grow in. We hope this draws us closer as a family as we help each other make our dreams come true. I do believe that the deepest desires of our heart are placed there by God. And so we pray. Persistently. Like my daughter. Funny how a mysterious melding of wills occurs.

So what are your dreams and how are they coming true?

10 comments:

Becky Shillington said...

This is beautiful, Vijaya. I especially like the idea of a family dream journal. I'm glad your daughter is enjoying her horseback riding lessons this summer! She looks so HAPPY! = )

Barbara Etlin said...

Lovely!

My husband wanted to learn to fly a helicopter since he was twelve.
In 2004, he inherited a bit of money and took a portion to invest in helicopter flying lessons.

Mirka Breen said...

Your daughter is riding high, and looking lovely.
Years ago my sister, wanting to ride horses but not being able to pay for it, got a job at a at the stables helping feed and brush the horses. She was so enamored of her horse-friends she drew lovely pencil portraits of many of them. Her hours after school and on the weekend were spent with them, and I got an earful of horse-tales.

Leandra Wallace said...

I took riding lessons for two summers as a girl, and it was something I'll never forget. My fav was a Quarter Horse named Blueberry Bar. Does your daughter get the Horse Illustrated magazines? I think they're one of the best equine magazines out there.

Faith E. Hough said...

She looks so comfortable up there. :)
My not-so-secret but yet to be fulfilled dream is to learn how to make pottery. I've always loved the idea of molding the clay in my hands and making something both practical and lovely from it. Unfortunately, around here all the classes are geared towards working people and begin after my bedtime...

Bish Denham said...

Posting is so difficult, but it looks like she's getting. More than that, she looks natural up there on that big animal.

A family dream journal? What a beautiful, beautiful idea. Think of the memories it will hold years from now, when you have grandbabies on your knee.

Shirley Anne Ramaley said...

These are such precious pictures of your daughter. I had horses all my life until about 10 years ago and I miss them greatly. The knowledge she'll gain as her skills improve will spill over into all areas of her life.

Shirley Anne Ramaley said...

These are such precious pictures of your daughter. I had horses all my life until about 10 years ago and I miss them greatly. The knowledge she'll gain as her skills improve will spill over into all areas of her life.

Vijaya said...

Thank you so much for visiting ladies. The family dream journal is an extension of the private dream journal that Matthew Kelly talks about.

Becky, she is happy. And it is so much fun to watch her.

Barb, how wonderful that your husband is learning to fly.

Mirka, that is a great story about your sister ... you should write it up for one of those horse magazines.

Leandra, I think a subscription to a horse magazine might make things too hard for us at home, with the constant reminder of what she cannot have right now on a regular basis.

Faith, I hope you will get a chance to take pottery classes, if not now, then later. My sister did some as an art student and a fellow graduate student made little cups and bowls to relax. One of my friends loved it so, her husband built her a kiln in the backyard.

Bish, we have dancing cats on the journal ... more kittens are in the journal, as well as babies. Yes, this is going to be a keeper.

Shirley, you are so lucky to have had horses for such a long time.

A.L. Sonnichsen said...

How fun! I've ridden trail horses in my life, but that's about it. To really RIDE A HORSE seems like it would be such an amazing feeling of freedom. I'm so glad your daughter is enjoying herself and learning this wonderful new skill. <3