Posted by Serenity in trying to matter, Writing | 10 Comments
Big Thoughts, Little Tweets
Oh how I love all your Belief comments! If you haven’t written yet but want to, please do! And if you’re just stopping by and want to read all kinds of inspiring convictions about life, then take a look at the post below this one. I guarantee you’ll be making your own list by the time you’re through, and you’ll definitely find at least one or two reasons to hang on in life. It’s a pretty good place, after all.
I have a tiny twitter/facebook pet peeve to share with you now. I don’t like it when people say mysterious things on their facebook status that make you burn with curiosity to know what the heck they are alluding to. Examples being, “Should I say yes or no?”, “I can’t believe it’s finally happening…” etc. Should you say yes or no to WHAT? I wonder. And What’s finally happening? WHAT???”
And then, the other day, I did it. I always have these big dramatic soul searches going on, pretty much 24-7, and I was trying to put it down in that alluring 140-character sheer poetry that twitter can sometimes be. And lo and behold, I was mysterious. And quite annoyed with myself soon after. In this post, I shall elaborate and thereby make up for it. The mysterious twitter read as follows:
What I want and what I have keep getting closer together. I hope they never quite meet (dreams motivate). But I like them close.
And my own sister, who should know I would never tweet wonderful news before sharing it with her, had to ask if I was speaking of something specific. So I decided right then, “I’ll blog about that pretty soon and un-mystify it.”
You know I have big dreams. Hello published books, completed screenplays, and a couture gown at the premiere; New York City, Paris, Ireland, and other dreamy locations we all at least sort of want to see before we die; a new house, preferably on a bit o’ earth for the hubby; and my children forever wowing me with all that they’ll become. Just little things, you know.
But the day I tweeted that I was watching my barefoot kiddos in my mediocre house, and I felt ridiculously content.
Do you see this building? It’s on the streets of New York City, and there’s a really lovely literary agent in there whom I can oh-so-luckily claim as mine. She makes my writing dreams seem so barely out of my reach that they seem completely possible, which is an accomplishment all by itself.
I grow just this much more content each day with our current house and seriously gorgeous tree-covered street in front of it than I am desirous of something newer, bigger and better. And I sit in awe day in and day out at the sheer, unequivocal joy that children can bring. Especially when with each milestone in their growth they get me closer to that one dream in which I love who they’ve become.
So what I meant, essentially, is that I am moving as well as my dreams. They are changing all the time, perhaps growing smaller to please me, and my own growing contentment is helping to close the gap.
It’s a pretty big thought for 140 characters. It probably doesn’t even make sense in these 500 words. But this is what I do. I think big. I try a little too hard. And I dump it on whomever happens to be there. Today, if you’re still reading, that’s you.








Amazing though it may be, I think I got what you were saying in the 140 characters. I’ve been thinking about that tweet a bit – because I have those moments too – those moments of total contentment with my current life, even though I still have massive dreams. But I do appreciate the longer version. Here’s to thinking big but still learning to love and cherish the everyday.
I favorited this tweet. I wasn’t sure what it was alluding to but I liked it. I like it even more now.
That’s a great thought – getting closer to your dreams by becoming more content. I used to fear that finding contentment meant letting go of your dreams and settling for something more “sensible”, but I don’t think that’s right.
Great post:)
Ah-ha. I get it now. : )
It Twitter or facebook it’s called “fishing for comments”. In general it’s something people do to try to get someone to comment on them. Not saying you were up to this, just that’s the most common reason people are mysterious in their updates. People only want to feel that others care about them after all….
I didn’t realize it had a name, Carol. I actually wasn’t even sure that’s what people were doing. Sometimes I think people can’t contain a thing inside but don’t know for sure that they should share it. So they hint. :)
I love your Twitter comment … so beautifully stated in so few words!
What a beautiful post.
Being able to be content with where you are (and still dreaming of what might be) is a real treasure. Lately I’ve been trying to keep a rein on my future dreams (which for me can sometimes be quite greedy) and appreciate the dream I’m living–my kids, my God, my husband, my family and friends.
Lovely.
A) yes, i hear you on enigmatic tweets or FB posts. and yes, i’ve done it myself; as an introvert who loves to externally process i find it surprisingly satisfying. and yet… other people doing it frustrates me. maybe that’s an artist’s paradox?
B) this post is a shining, satisfying example of why i come back to read your blog over and over again. i think if we didn’t leave a couple thousand miles apart i’d be having cofee & tea with you often!
hey, here’s an interesting article by leonard sweet that my denomination (evangelical covenant church) put up about twitter being a help as a Christ-follower…
http://www.ecpa.org/elink/2009/08/feature.php
Good night, Dear Void. :-)