“Most people are not really free.  They are confined by the niche in the world that they carve out for themselves.  They limit themselves to fewer possibilities by the narrowness of their vision.”

– V.S. Naipaul

Complete this sentence:  If I could do anything in the world that I wanted to do, I would…

I hope that whatever words you used to finish that statement made you smile.  I hope they transported you to a place where you dream big and expect those dreams to come true.  I hope they have called to the surface some long-held vision of something wonderful that cries out from the depths of you and begs you to bring it to life.

It is true that we carve out a niche in the world — usually for reasons of survival and security for ourselves and for the others we love.  The problem with residing in a niche is that sometimes it is difficult to see beyond its walls.  Soon we come to believe that the whole world is the one that fits neatly into our carving.  We let it block our vision of something good — something spectacular — that might lie beyond the confines of the limitations we have chosen.  There is nothing wrong with choosing the sort of life we want to live, but we must be careful not to stop living and be limited by a comfortable spot that offers us rest.  If we are truly free to carve out the niche where our lives will be lived, then we must be sure to keep on carving.  Open your eyes to the vision of your soul.  Look beyond your present existence and admit that if the end of  your sentence was not “exactly what I am doing now,” then you need to get moving!

Sharpen your tools, take them up, and begin to carve out your dream.  Don’t worry if it doesn’t take shape on your first attempt.  What is important is to keep your vision clear.  It is never too late to finish that sentence; and with practice, you just may find that your dreams will expand to places you have not yet imagined.  We are free.  Let’s not squander our freedom.