I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence. ~Frederick Douglass

Yes, Mr. Douglass, I prefer this as well for myself, though it takes great courage. It is painful to go against the expectations of family and friends, sometimes forsaking what we thought was conditional love. Ouch! Who among us has such courage? And yet, dare we live any other way?

The pre-med student who opens a bakery. The 40-year old banker who becomes a travel writer. The English major who pursues a career as a figure skater. They’re out there. Little beacons of light who dare to follow their hearts out of the darkness, leaving behind a messy trail of snark and disapproval.

For these trail blazers, a leap of faith is required. With heart in hand, they bravely leap with faith that the earth will rise up to meet their feet or that they will learn to fly. Their calling is loud and clear, kick-in-the-pants, no choice in the matter, undeniable. To not follow their dream would prove more painful than the scorn.

For the rest of us, in that bare second in mid-air, we may find ourselves flailing– wondering, trusting, doubtful, trying, and again unsure of why we leapt in the first place. What was I thinking? Maybe the nay-sayers were right.  What if I am ridiculed? What if they disown me? What if no one believes in me? What if I lose faith in myself? What if I fail? Or worse, what if I succeed?!

Sh-h-h. Listen. Your heart is saying, “I got you! We can do this! We’re gonna fly! We gonna learn how to soar so high, we won’t need to feel the earth beneath our feet.”

Your passion will fuel your flight until you reach higher ground. Soar until you feel the breeze of belief beneath your arms and through your hair.  Never give up.  You owe it to yourself.  You owe it to your heart – a heart that never fails you, if you have the courage to listen.

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