I have thought about our family with regard to living ones dream. As far as I can see, Dad is the only one to have even come close. I have heard his stories of his young days. They are connected in some way-the ones he most likes to tell--of his taking apart and reassembling the machines in his environment. I remember being on the farm and watching when neighbours came in with machinery or requests that he come and fix equipment that had broken down. He never refused and I don't remember him saying he'd do it later. Our work was left as though he was following the call of a machine in pain.
He kept on farming even though beset with disaster on the eve of triumph again and again. Then in his late 40s he left the farm, 46 I guess he'd have been. Why? so that he could work on machines. How successful was he? We had a house, no longer a shack, furniture, a washer and dryer. No one ever had only two outfits for school like Dale and I did, or one bike someone gave us, or only canned food and few if any salads with fresh produce or no kleenex to use at school, ever again! And Dad--he was challenged and intrigued and lived among the people he felt most comfortable with. He was able to be the true hero in his own dream. Isn't that amazing?
He saved machine after machine and helped it to continue to live a useful life long after others would have cast it aside. Strange world. How many more rusting hulks of machinery would have been polluting our wilderness areas if Dad hadn't had the courage to finally step into his dream. Knowing his fears of the unknown, I wonder how he did it. Mother? Interesting. Did her weaknesses strengthen his resolve? No. Strength strengthens. So did her strengths strengthen his resolve? I don't know. And isn't it a mystery how Dad always cursed and swore and carried on about a machine that broke down, even though he liked machines--and doesn't he do that with his wife and his kids? His machine ways applied to people--disastrous.
I guess machines understood him better.
Great picture and writings.. I don't know about him being the only one coming close to realizing his dreams though.. Everything has degrees of truth and success has degrees as well.. Seems that those that reach the height of acheivement can still fill they missed out on somehting or ohter..
Posted by: Wade | June 21, 2011 at 12:37 AM
I absolutely agree with you, Wade! I was almost tempted to delete that statement! but because it was Joyce's, I thought I would leve it in. It then became a reflection for me of her and her relationship to her dad and her own dreams. I know that she did not feel she had achieved them.
YOU on the other hand! I would dare say YES!! and continually creating new ones. Me too. In fact I am in the midst of realizing some pretty major ones. I know Charles has. I think the thing about dreams is that they are not static... and therefore people continue to yearn yet forget, forget the dreams of old as they rush into the arms of the new. John certainly achieved dreams and continues to dream and make it happen. Grace... absolutely! Dale... he made a whole life happen and continues to. Isn't that dreaming.
I love the photo of Dad. I see you in him. And the wildness of the environment and this crazy machine rising up out of the earth. Dad was so molten!
Thanks for commenting Wade! YAY! miss you!! xoxox
Posted by: Kathleen | June 22, 2011 at 12:12 PM
Of course I would never delete someone's words to suit my fancy! haha! Just want to be clear about that!
xo
Posted by: Kathleen | June 22, 2011 at 12:50 PM