When you’re told as a kid to follow your dreams, they never mention the implied subtext that’s seemingly universally accepted.
You can be anything you want to be – so long as it’s universally okay. You can have fame, money, power – but you can’t lie, cheat, steal, or hurt anyone. That is universally not okay. You must live within the universal norms.
But who is this universe? Why do we accept her limitations? Dreams should never have limitations.
That’s what Linda always said, anyway. She was always so encouraging of my dreams. All of my dreams.
When I took up painting on a whim, she bought me my first set of brushes and a canvas as big as a wall.
I asked her what I should paint, she said I should paint my deepest desire.
I thought for only a moment before I smiled and said, “You.”
But I couldn’t get the right red. I bought all the colors and tried all the possible combinations. I mixed and combined and added more purple or brown or gray – but it was never right.
I finally gave up on “universally okay” and did what Linda insisted – I followed my deepest, most secret dream.
Linda’s not here anymore, but the red is finally perfect.
