Monday, September 13, 2010

Not a Balloon but a River

I used to think my dreams were balloons. To be held high, admired by looking up. Things that could pop at any given moment.

I’m beginning to see my dreams much more as rivers. To bathe in. Things to respect because they move through. Dreams take me.

A balloon is made of flimsy material. Blow enough air in, it pops and shrivels.

A river surges onward, navigating through its course with life-giving water.

A balloon always floats up, aimlessly up. It’s easily influenced by the wind.

A river knows there are times for placidity and other times to roar.

A balloon in its prime provides temporal enjoyment, fleeting.

A river also has the potential to dry out or even overflow. It relies on a great source to pour into it.

Balloons attract the eyes of little children.

Rivers attract everyone in need of water.

Balloons are easily lost or tangled in branches or wires.

Rivers careen and form estuaries, creating their own path.

Balloons are harsh sounding when they pop.

Rivers flow, instilling a delirious calm as they smooth rocks and push toward greater bodies of water.

My dreams aren’t balloons. They are rivers.

What are your dreams?


*photos by flickr

20 comments:

  1. this was beautiful!!! I just want to have some hope with my dreams:)

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  2. Beautiful, Wendy! I love your analogy. I've always thought of my dreams as endless oceans. I think that's because the ocean or beach always enters my dreams eventually.

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  3. Wonderful! Love this analogy. Makes me think...
    Blessings to you and your readers,
    Karen

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  4. Well, when you put it like that.... flow, river flow!!! :O)

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  5. I LOVE that second picture! I like the idea of dreams as a river, or water. Because water can take on so many different forms, i.e. ice, rain, steam...you get the idea, because my dreams change, or I get new ones!

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  6. OOh I like this! I vote for rivers too, lol! Much more beautiful and stable than a balloon any day. ;)

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  7. beautiful, Wendy. What an insightful analogy. I hope and pray that my dreams are a river.

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  8. Wendy, I love this post! My husband and I were just talking about dreams last night, I'll have to share this with him.

    I love thinking of my dreams as the river you described:)

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  9. What a beautiful analogy, Wendy.
    Water plays a role in ALL of my books.
    Maybe now I know why...

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  10. "A river knows there are times for placidity and other times to roar." I love this. Even when it seems like there is not much going on beneath the surface, the dream is still alive waiting to be revealed - waiting to roar. I'm ready for a river adventure. Bye, bye balloons!

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  11. Terri, I agree, hope is good.

    Jennifer, Thanks. Always fun to see you around here.

    Heather, Water has that calming way about it.

    Karen, Cool to make you think. It's what I'm here for.

    Diane, That's so a song in the making.

    Debbie, Cool to see you over at the inspirational spot. That's right, it's Monday, isn't it? Oi.

    Beth, I remember once someone described the trinity to me all in forms of water. It stuck.

    T.Anne, And what's funny is that a balloon seems so special, so...hmm can't put my finger on the word (I guess I already did above) but rivers really are way more cool.

    R&M, Found peace at your place today. Thanks.

    Susan, Cool, so I'm not alone with my river dreams.

    Tamika, Good things to talk about with a loved one.

    Patti, I'm getting set to buy your book, hopefully at the conference.

    Angel, Yep, bye, bye balloons. Love it!

    Well, it's been a Monday here. Hoping for a Tuesday tomorrow. I'll provide a book review.

    I'm throwing it all up to God b/c it keeps landing hard on my head. I'm hoping He'll catch it.

    Night.
    Wendy

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  12. My dreams are like rivers. I love that analogy. I think they used to be like balloons, but I was so tired of having them pop. Plus, it feels so good to let that balloon go up up up into the sky. I'd rather just let it flow. Thanks Wendy.

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  13. Hi Wendy -

    Great comparison!

    My dreams are like a river, sometimes calm and other times roaring like rapids.

    Blessings,
    Susan :)

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  14. Loved your comment on my blog yesterday! You are going to have a crazy day getting off to the conference! My youngest will look like a hooligan all weekend. I've instructed one of my older daughters to try to remember to brush her hair for her, but not sure if that will happen. :-) Oh well. They'll all appreciate me more when I get back home!

    And I'm in the river, in a boat, paddling upstream and against the current some days!

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  15. I'm positive I typed a comment on this post yesterday, but I don't see it here. Hmm, now to remember what I said...I think I commented about how creative and beautiful your analogies are. :) Can't wait to meet you in a few days!

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  16. Sarah,

    I think Blogger ate some of my comments. You aren't the only one to mention this. Oh well. I hate not knowing what people shared.

    I'm excited to meet you, too!
    ~ Wendy

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  17. Wendy:
    You have a good analogy here. I need to think about this. Can I get back to you?

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