you may say I am a dreamer...

It seems so simple. Make a wish. dream a little dream. float some hope. Wish, dream, hope. imagine. 

i know.

but, are they real or just something we aspire to? are they possible or simply unattainable romantic notions. Can our inner thoughts and desires be so intangible that merely voicing them out loud is a strike against fate, puts them in the bad luck category, making it impossible for them to come true because we spoke it out loud. So, they stay our own little secrets, delicious thoughts we cherish and hide away in safe places we only allow ourselves the pleasure of visiting from time to time. 

It took me a little while—say a few decades, and a lifetime—to see what good could possibly come of this practice.  But over time I began to entertain the idea that this wishing/dreaming/hoping business might be less hardship than good fortune. That in a life wild with distractions, there's a certain comfort in minding a few things, not Everything, of course. But just knowing that is a wonderful thing.  And, keep in mind that endless possibility's themselves may be a bit overwhelming. Still, do not consider this a direct order, but a gentle reminder, to heed at will.

As a child I had a very active imagination. As a teenager I had many questions and long periods of self reflection. and always, always I have been a dreamer. I wanted to gaze at skyscrapers, lunch in Paris, swim turquoise seas in foreign lands. I spent hours trying to imagine the excitement of places like San Francisco, New York, London and Paris. I longed to feel my hair whipping across my face as I flew through the countryside in Tuscany. on the back of a scooter. my arms strapped about Carmine. I saw myself floating down watery streets in a gondola. Gazing at the Pyramids and The Great Wall of China. I had visions of myself riding on the back of a camel. taking photos of giraffes, tigers and kola bears. In my wildest dreams I saw the ruins of ancient Rome and Greece. I prayed to be whisked away. dropped on a doorstep in a far away land. Books and movies helped to provide details for the adventures and places I dreamed of. helped to fuel my desire and fascination for places unknown.

 I guess I did not need a crystal ball to know that come what may, travel was in my future. Be careful what you wish for was not in my vocabulary. and wanderlust is what flowed through my veins. While kids my age were busy playing hop scotch and Red Rover, I was strolling down the Champs Elysees, window shopping and having lunch at a sidewalk cafe. Crossing my fingers to visit the Tower of London. Or sunbathe on a yacht in Cote'd Azur. Yes, from my tiny spot in the world, I could go anywhere and it all seemed so exotic...

 For the most part, the wanderlust won out. I have enjoyed many great adventures and travel. Even some of the places I dreamed about years ago. I still have visions of that perfect moment of Zen doing yoga in the Himalayas. Dog sledding through Norway under the Northern Lights. going on a safari in Namibia along the Skeleton Coast or hiking in Patagonia. These are just a few of the places I dream of, envisage with the dreaminess of a lifetime, making them as familiar to me as my own home town. 

so the question remains, what do I wish for now. In those quiet moments when I allow myself the luxury of daydreams, what is it I want? Needless to say, once again I am afraid of tempting fate. jinxing it. yet, the truth is, the things I wish for now, are simply health, happiness and peace. and I would not object to a little friendship, romance, laughter and love thrown in. I know that my mind will always turn to thoughts of wandering, will remember and create fantasies about the far flung and the extraordinary. Hopefully, adventures are still mapped out in my future, if I keep dreaming.

After all, wanderlust runs deep. When life is relentless, I take the time to remind myself of the things that make my heart skip a beat. To put practical thoughts aside. Actually, days with drama are the perfect excuse to do a little arm chair traveling. To catch up on that which needs being caught up on. Dreams need an endless supply of imagination. please, skip the predictable. surrender to the elements of surprise and the never taken for granted. always, look at the world with love, happiness and high expectations. These dreams were meant to last a lifetime, many lifetimes in fact and therein lies their magic.

Pink Peppermint Snowballs

makes about 40 cookies

(click here for recipe) 

enjoy!