Dreams Do Come True…

And, yes, miracles do happen.  When I was attending church a few years ago, occasionally the opportunity would come up to talk about something recent that had occurred in your life, a blessing or unexpected surprise, happy endings, that sort of thing.  Occasionally I would get up and speak about something that had recently occurred, and these were usually so good, that I often called them “Miracle Stories.”

Some of those stories will likely appear in time as I write the blog, but more often than not, the posts will be about something more recent.  In this case, it’s about the miracle of healing, and the power of creativity and music.

Music has always been a big part of my life.  I was dancing and going to the theater when I was three, my mother always had the radio on and we were always dancing.  She played acoustic guitar, and occasionally (every several years), she and her two best friends would have a jam session.  Sounds almost magical, doesn’t it?

That is, until we look at the other side of the coin (and growing up, there always was one).  I begged my mother to teach me guitar, she refused.  The music teacher wanted me in chorus, she and my sister began denigrating my singing.  I didn’t get good enough grades in school, my stereo and cassette tapes were removed for months at a time.  Music wasn’t just my “emotional safe place”, the lack of it was now punishment as well.  It became an all or nothing gig.

Looking back, throughout much of my adult life, I see the same pattern repeating itself – the music would help strengthen me, give me a place to “be”, then life would collapse in some way, and music and creativity (especially writing) would disappear.  Creativity eventually became function, and then that was all there was.  Just function.  I was surviving, and didn’t know how to do anything else.

Then a miracle happened.   I married a musician who didn’t just leave me on the sidelines, but he brought me into the music.  He opened up my world again.  It took a few years for the miracle to complete itself, but now, not only am I back to writing and dancing, but I also play bass guitar, keyboards and sing.

Stories can have happy endings.  Miracles do happen.  And, yes, dreams do come true.