To Have a Dream

[On Four Tree Island, Portsmouth, NH; 5/30/11]

You have to have a dream
If you don't have a dream
How you gonna have a dream come true?
- from "Happy Talk" in Rogers and Hammerstein's "South Pacific"

The inscription on the Cabot Lyford sculpture out on Four Tree Island in Portsmouth reads, "For those who sailed here to find a new life." Before setting sail, the immigrants no doubt had a dream of that new life, a promise of something better than the intractable problems of their current one. My dissatisfactions pale in comparison, but neither am I looking to uproot myself entirely and set sail. I already uprooted myself five years ago to take this job and then a year later to move out of my home to come live near the city, which was rejuvenating. But I'm wearing down, and changes need to be made to have a sustainable -- enjoyable? fulfilling? -- life, particularly the huge portion of my day that is Making a Living.

A work colleague who is a stained glass artist in her off-time told me yesterday that she's hoping to get a subsidized artist work/live space to rent. I told her I saw full-time artist in her future, which is her dream.

I woke up with "You have to have a dream..." running through my head. Dreams need time to surface. I need to find time to reflect, not just to work on it, but time to let that conscious work germinate. Online time (aside from surfing from the office) may be sparse. I guess it already is.

The weather was finally warm enough to drive up to the seacoast one day last weekend. I uploaded a handful of photos from there starting here.

Comments

[Jean]

Beautiful sculpture, beautiful photos. Have beautiful dreams!

[marja-leena]

Yes, as Jean said!

[Leslee]

Thanks, Jean and Marja-Leena!

[maria]

Great photo - and, from the other photos, looks like a good time have been had up the coast.

[Sky]

Love the sculpture, Leslee! Looks like a nice day at the beach - I can hardly wait for our coastal getaway soon. It sounds like you have some important decisions to make, and I wish you peacful moments in this process of discovery.

[Leslee]

Thanks, Maria. It was nice to get up to seacoast again.

Sky: Thanks, and enjoy your coastal trip!