Set UNrealistic Goals

I have a deck of cards called the Writers Deck. Mike gave it to me in college. Pick a card and you get a little piece of inspiration.

Today I picked:

"Set Realistic Goals."

My reaction: a roll of the eyes and a half-smile.

Because I have not set a realistic goal in my life.

Ever. 

Instead, I operate with a TO DO list that consists of Three Goals, plus three sub-goals, plus three second-tier sub goals and sometimes I include three more primary goals, just in case I get the others finished. I operate under the idea that I will accomplish everything and nothing. And well, that is okay.

My parents were always big on realistic goals. Like when I wanted to take singing lessons, my father said, "let's be realistic, you are not going to become a professional singer."

Or even when my mom said, "you can do anything you set your mind to, but be realistic, you are great at math, be an engineer."

Or my Grand father, who maybe saw a little bit more of the real me than my parents did, "Be realistic, you go to college, you become an architect, because you like art and making things."

We are all surrounded by those realistic voices--the ones who simplify things down scientifically. You are good at this; therefore you are this. The voices that cite statistics and odds. The ones that tell you how it "really" is.

We have those voices in our heads too. About 5 minutes after I found out Lily had a brain tumor and surgery was scheduled for the next day, the question I had: "Well doc, it is brain surgery, what will her deficient be? will she walk? will she talk?"

Because realistically, Lily had a brain tumor, so therefore she would be damaged, somehow, right?

You see, these realistic voices are always wrong. They are limited. They based in data and lines--rarely is realistic thinking wavey or oval.  Realistic voices don't tell you how it REALLY is, they tell you how is really could be, if you choose to walk straight and think straight; if you choose to stay within the lines.

But if you choose the other way--the way that is paved with hills and twists and turns and hope--the way that is UNrealistic, that is the way that leads you somewhere that you've never imagined. It is a place where miracles can happen, just because (no explanation required).