The Story in Their Eyes

 The Story in Your Eyes by The Moody Blues ‧ 1971

But I'm frightened for your children

That the life that we are living is in vain

And the sunshine we've been waiting for will turn to rain

Earlier this month, I moved from Trombone to Sunset Strip. At seventy seven, my dreams are far different than they were even a decade ago. Unless one lives in a vacuum, or a perpetual haze of mind-altering smoke, I doubt it’s possible to dream without the harshness of reality peeking in the window of your soul. That said, here are my somewhat different thoughts on dreams VS reality.

As far as my writing is concerned, I dream of having all those completed, or mostly completed books I’ve written, published. The reality of complacency and being fairly comfortable one day at a time, would argue otherwise. Most of my writing has always been a way to discover...what will my imagination put forth today? What bit of conversation, or physical aspect of a perfect stranger will find itself in a tale? What’s over that hill, in that box, moving across a moonless night sky? Where does that road I’ve driven past endless times, go?

When I have sufficient energy, I still like to write an essay, but these days, it’s getting more challenging, given how much vitriol is spewed on a daily basis.

Below is a photo of Sara Beth and Lisa Ruby, our daughters who are now in their forties. I’ve been fairly successful sharing my dreams with them while supporting theirs. When Sara was starting college, she worried about choosing a major that would please my wife and I. We told her, study what interests you and prepares you to do something you love. She went on to be a newspaper reporter and now works as the executive assistant for a Maine nonprofit. 

 

Lisa discovered a love for teaching when doing a work study job at a Bronx parochial school. She went on to earn a masters in early childhood literacy, but found teaching math in a NYC public school was more satisfying. I’m very proud that she shares her parents’ dreams about protecting democracy as a campaigner and member of the Maine Democratic DEI committee.

I also have dreams for Piper, Reid, and Gemma, our three delightful grandchildren in the second picture It’s getting more difficult on a daily basis to dream that my daughters and grand-kids will have a good life, but I do the best I can on a regular basis, Last year, we took Piper to Chincoteague in Virginia on a Road Scholar exploration that involved marine ecology, meeting and making friends with kids from other states, and seeing the wild ponies. In August, we’re taking her on another Road Scholar trip to a working horse ranch near Tucson.

 

My son-in-law Sam got four year old Gemma hooked on Harry Potter, so I’ve been buying her the illustrated editions which she loves. As for Reid who is five, my wife and I have read him more than 1000 books thus far. All three love to go fishing with me as well. Are these good foundations for them to create their own dreams? I certainly hope so.

My final thought on dreams VS reality hit me yesterday as I was about to go into the post office and held the door for several people who were on their out. I have a dream every day that I can bring a tiny bit of kindness into a stranger’s day. More often than not it becomes a reality.