New dreams are much like unplanted saplings. Alive with the potential for magnificent growth, their roots wait for nourishment. Too often, however, their tiny buds dry up and die before we give their roots a chance to touch the soil.

We admire dreams in our minds, photograph them with our hearts, and fail to nourish them with the first requirement of all dreams realized. That is, we must get them out and into the soil of our daily lives; we must plant with the expectation for growth.

Like a tiny oak, a great dream will often have the potential to grow and thrive long past our own life spans. Yet, it needs more than our admiration and good intentions; it needs our hearts to cherish it and our hands to get it growing.

When a storm breaks a branch, a dream will need our continued love, care, and commitment to keep it growing and thriving. Do we simply rip off the torn branches of a cherished dream? Even worse, do we pull a dream from the soil, leaving it to die? Do we continue to damage our own resiliency because, by habit, we run away each time a certain type of problem appears?

No, not if we are authentic. We might rest, but we will eventually return to our truest dreams, knowing we will be welcomed. We will realize that there will always be winds to strengthen us; there will always be hurts to teach us healing and forgiveness.

We learn that if we are to finally move forward, we must begin to understand storms as well as our own mistakes. Like oaks sprouting new leaves, we are all in the process of creation and growth. It is a law of life and an unavoidable life lesson.

A sapling will be strengthened by winds, and it will grow to its fullest potential; yet, as people, we must choose to grow. As English novelist, George Eliot, wrote, "The strongest principle of growth lies in the human choice."

In storms, we can find blessings that we would not think to search for on sunny days. We can nurture torn limbs and grow new limbs when some are lost. We can continue to provide the love and care necessary for our dreams to grow--as long as we keep the roots in the soil.

In so doing, we, as well as our dreams, can grow as tall as our potential allows, reaching as high as our Creator intended for us to reach, bringing the legacy of our gifts to future generations.

Wishing you blessings and success,

Steve Brunkhorst