Well, I got it done.
Do you have something you’d like to do—just for yourself, for no other reason than to prove you can do it? I have a short list of things I would love to say I’ve done. I, for example, always wanted to ride my horse Cocoa in a parade. She wasn’t accustomed to parades and neither was I so I put it off too long—she died last year without ever carrying me in my cowboy hat down Main Street.
I am, however, now able to check one thing off that list—I graduated from college again, this time with a Master of Arts. For some reason, I always dreamed of getting an MA (weird, I know, but I was an academic teenager.) There was no doubt in my mind that I’d go through the graduation ceremony or take my family out for dinner to celebrate. It was the exclamation point at the end of the sentence. As I was hooded and walked across the stage, I didn’t feel pride or elation. Just a sense of Ahhhh….I did it! There was a surprising amount of personal satisfaction in following this dream to its conclusion. It was also a huge amount of time and work but it was a gift I gave myself. There was no other reason to do it than I wanted to. God blessed me with it too. He gave me an amazing Christian woman as an advisor—having the opportunity to get to know her was reward enough.
It may not change my life. I have no idea if I’ll put the degree to use in any special way although it did greatly enhance my writing, but simply having accomplished it feels great. Plus, I can check it off my list.
If you’ve ever had something you always dreamed of doing but put it off, something you believe God would bless and encourage, don’t wait. Sign up and get busy.
I’ve got a younger horse now. Her name is Skye. She’s not used to parades either but maybe someday….
Judy Baer, author of Oh, Baby! (Steeple Hill Café, June 2008)
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