Sometimes when we are home, PoppaBob gets out a rocket. He takes the boys to a park with a grand open field. He teaches them how to pack the rocket carefully, light it, and then keep their eyes upward as they watch it soar to space (or close to it). They have to follow it closely and then race to see who can catch it in the field. They look forward to it every time.

PoppaBob was always a dreamer. I remember him planning new ventures, starting new businesses, and always talking about the possible. He was cautious, but still a risk taker and I remember his outlook was always positive. When anyone asked him how things were going, his only possible response was, “great!” And even though you knew that it may not really be great, it actually seemed a little better once he walked into the room. I know that is why he was so good in sales, and in sharing his opportunities. Many people may think it is silly or fake to always be so positive, but after awhile, they all look forward to his coming. They know without a doubt there will be a smile on his face and a positive perspective that he can offer. It is still exceptional today.

Now that PoppaBob is older, his perspective on dreaming has changed. The economy is taking a turn, and his hopes and ideas are more inclined now towards risking less and seeking security.

But I think that is one of the most perplexing things about dreams. When you have them, and share them for so long, they take root in others. It is hope. PoppaBob always had the hope for us for a better life and a better future. We may not see all of our tangible dreams come to fruition, or what we thought were our dreams. But as we age we realize that we have sown seeds in the intangible and it is taking root all along in the others that we impact along the way.

 I once saw a movie called “Hope Floats” and I thought it was a sappy title. What did it mean? Then I eventually found myself in a season where I felt I was drowning in my own hopelessness, and I understood the title. Hope is the thing we cling to, the lifeline that keeps us afloat. It is the thing that carries us into the next season of life, until change occurs and we can be okay again.

That is what PoppaBob brings into a room, and into our life, every time he says it is “Great.” That is what he has sown into us that allows us to continue to dream.

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 20th, 2009 at 10:52 pm and is filed under home Life, hope, parenting, values. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.