Planning Ahead

I was going through some old files on my work computer and came across this photo taken back in 2006 at the Alliance for the Varied Arts in Logan. We were waiting for the people we set up an interview with to show.

I love this picture for one reason only: If Lila and I get laid off because of severe budget cuts and we finally decide to fulfill our dream of becoming rap artists, we already have our first album cover.

Our name? Grave Diggaz
Our first single? "Six Feet Blunder"

"You should do it"

I’ve been thinking about Field of Dreams lately. I haven’t actually watched the movie for a few years, but I listen to the soundtrack a lot which makes me think about certain themes in the movie that have stayed with me.

Baseball has nothing to do with why I love this movie, but I doubt very many people like it because it’s about baseball –because it’s not about baseball. One thing I’ve learned about myself when it comes to movies is what speaks most to me in the story is the human relationships that unfold, and I watch them over and over again, even if it is just for a scene that lasts three or four minutes just to see the qualities of that relationship play before me.

One of my favorite things about this story is how unbelievably patient and loving Ray’s wife is and how I think everyone should have someone like that in their life and be that someone for someone else. By that I mean someone who will indulge your gut feelings and not only assist you but also be your advocate in a crazy dream or goal you may have that could actually be realized if only you had the right enablers.

Ray’s faith in building a baseball field on their property was unwarranted and I’m guessing, unprecedented but his wife (Annie) supported him in doing it anyway, even though it was ridiculously expensive and completely impractical.

I love seeing people like this in my “real” life. These are people that have no selfish interests, they just see the potential of what you can achieve and want to watch you make that happen. The product is rarely what matters, it’s seeing you “be you” while you realize the vision you have.

I watched my bishop do this when he pooled all his resources to help one of our ward members write, direct, and produce a musical. He was able to get professional costumes and perform it in an actual theatre (meaning not the cultural hall of the church). Most of us made fun of the grandeur of the project and how seriously he took it, but I smiled through the whole 3 and a half hour production because I couldn’t believe that it was actually happening. Someone let him do this and he is going to remember this and take pride in his accomplishment for the rest of his life, and I was just happy there were people out there who made it happen for him.

How amazing would it be to have someone give you green light after green light as you go ahead with a plan? Instead of presenting road blocks they break them down for you. Maybe it’s because I’ve worked in government for 8 years but that NEVER happens.

If you haven’t seen the documentary Man on Wire yet, rent it. Philippe Petit is a crazy, eccentric man who wants to risk his life by tight rope walking between the twin towers without a net. He has no monetary gain in this at all, he just sees something up high and all it means to him is his next stunt. But what’s more amazing to me is how his friends sacrifice their time and their safety to help their nutty friend realize his dream. It’s not their dream, it’s his and they stick by him to the very end to see him make it happen.