Why don’t we all live our dreams?  I had an inspiration today on the drive in to work.  Here’s how it went (wavy fade to flashback):

So I’m sitting in traffic this morning.  It’s spring (FINALLY) here in Chicagoland.  And that means two things.  One, it’s construction season, so every east-west road across the Fox River is down to half a lane, making my commute ridiculous.  And two, it’s time for all those ex-pat Canadian Geese who never left over the winter to have their babies.  And of course, that means that all the momma geese are herding (can you say herding with geese?) their little fluffy bundles across every east-west road in the area, making slow moving traffic screech to a halt.

And while the rest of the drivers out there curse and scream at the waddling avians, wondering what the heck was wrong with the grass on the side of the road they were originally on and dreaming about Goose a L’orange, I’m thinking completely different things.  Like, given the fact that geese have wings, why don’t they FLY across the road?  It would be so much faster.   And there wouldn’t be nearly as many splatted geese on the pavement.  And it would sure as heck speed up my already stupid commute.

Now, before you go jumping down my throat in defense of the little fluffy bundles, I fully realize that the parents can’t fly with their babies, who don’t yet have wings.  But this slow waddle across the road, (which frequently involves stopping, standing there, staring at my car and honking at me as if I were the one who didn’t belong there) doesn’t just happen in the spring.  It happens ALL YEAR LONG!  I mean, think about it.  If YOU had wings, wouldn’t  YOU fly everywhere you wanted to go?

An ornithologist would no doubt have the scientific answer to this goosey conundrum.  But I’m not an ornithologist, I just played one on TV.  My guess is that, much like people, geese are lazy.  In their little pea sized brain, they’re thinking, “Man, it takes a heck of a lot of effort to run really fast to gain momentum and then flap my wings just to get airborne for a couple dozen feet.  It’s just not worth it.  Just think of all the grass I’ll have to eat to recoup that energy.”

I think it’s the same with most people.  I know for sure it’s the same with me.  It takes a heck of a lot of energy to come home after working a full day at the dreaded day job, after taking care of the family, after doing all my chores to then make the time to work on making my dreams a reality.  Until recently I let myself live on autopilot, waddling across the roads of my life because it involved the least amount of effort – and goodness knows (I justify to myself) I expend enough effort each day just dealing with all the regular stuff.  But I’ve had a re-awakening lately.  Maybe I realize that time is ticking away.  Or maybe I’ve been recharged by reading the blogs of some wonderful people who inspire me to be more.  Or maybe my Muse has come back from her decade long vacation in Bermuda.  But whatever it is, I know that now is the time.  I want to write.  I want to live to my fullest potential.  I want to FLY!

How about you?  Is there some dream you’ve been harboring, while you’ve been waddling slowly across life’s street?  Don’t be a goose.  Run as fast as you can, gain that momentum, flap your wings and take off.  As Mork once said, “Fly, my little hatchling brothers!”.  Cuz let me tell you, the view from up here?  It’s amazing!

Ilegitimi non carborundum!