The Color of The Little Engine That Could

"Do. Or do not.

There is no try." 

(Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back)

Epic words from Star Wars' little green guru - "Do! Or do not!" Nothing in between. I have read, and observed, that there are basically two ways to approach a dream, project, or intention: begin it with intention of finishing it, and keep intending until it is done.  Conversely, begin by thinking you might not finish it, that you will try to complete it, and keep intending this until it is long cold and dead.

Many, perhaps even most of humanity's great achievers have faced gargantuan odds in the fulfillment of their quests. Siddhartha's journey to enlightenment took his body to the very precipice of death, required that he leave everything and everyone behind. He did not try, he set out to do, and his journey has shaped humanity's path. Jesus of Nazareth also set out to do. He walked the path into and through death, and did not quit his journey until death was conquered.

“If you have a dream, don’t just sit there.

Gather courage to believe that you can succeed

and leave no stone un-turned

to make it a reality.” 

(Roopleen)

Those who say that it is too hard, that the road is too long, or too steep, have fallen short of their goal not because of the conditions that they face, but because they stopped striving. It all comes down to what you believe about yourself and about your goal. If you are committed to your endeavors, if they are a true expression of the Love that you are, then persist until they have come to fruition. It's that simple. Oh, It will also take time, patience, more time... and more patience. That's what success looks like - patience, commitment, and resilience. 

“Whether you think you can,

or you think you can't,

you're right.”

(Henry Ford)

This may all seem a might harsh, a tad bit black and white for Kaleidoscope's perspective. I agree - and I've had my share of projects that have died in the development stage, unfinished, unfulfilled. However, if I am honest with myself I must admit that the only force stopping me from realizing those goals was me. I simply was not committed to doing - I was only trying, and trying is keeping one foot on success and the other on failure, hoping that fate will intervene.

Some have faced injury or illness, bankruptcy, isolation, and even death in their journey to see their dreams made real. Some have passed the torch on to other hands as their own reserves were exhausted. Nonetheless, regardless of the mountains and valleys along the journey, when we relinquish ourselves to the path of Love all obstacles will in time be surpassed.

“Ignore failure. 

Try anew until you succeed.” 

(Tim Fargo, Alphabet Success - Keeping it Simple)

So when should we relinquish a pursuit? At what point is the towel to be thrown in? Perhaps it is time to quit when we discover that our intention did not arise from Love; when the goal does not have the power to change us, our community, and our world for the better. If life, healing, and renewal do not somehow arise from our endeavors of creating, dreaming, and pursuing, then it would be best to let those endeavors drift down the river.

Love is potent in and through us; so much so that it will, in time, overcome all tyranny, all darkness. Love pours through you right now, seeking to touch the people in your life, seeking to ignite passion, possibility, hope. If Love kindles the flame of your dreams pursue them with all of your being, and see those dreams come to full bloom.

I leave the last word to Oscar Wilde:

“Yes: I am a dreamer.

For a dreamer is one

who can only find his way by moonlight, 

and his punishment 

is that he sees the dawn

before the rest of the world.” (Oscar Wilde, The Critic as Artist)

The color of the little engine that could...

being true to ourselves.

Soil pressed down

upon the seed

heavy

dark

smothering

But

seeds

are

persistent

and flowers laughter

is soil's

chagrin

Dream

Breathe

Be

To Ponder Further:

- From the Bible: "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams." (Acts 2.17)

- From African Traditional Religion: "The snail has no hands, The snail has no feet, Gently the snail climbs the tree." (Yoruba Proverb, Nigeria)

- From Judaism: "Scripture credits with performance not him who begins a task, but him who completes it." (Talmud, Sota 13b)