“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”
–Proverbs 13:11-13
My blogging friend, Slam Dunks, hit one out of the park with his latest post, “The Best that Never Was.” He writes about a well-known athlete, Marcus Dupree, who sustained an injury that ended his promising career in professional football.
Here’s one of my favorite parts, “Despite the disappointment, Marcus is thankful for the opportunities that he had, obviously wishes that things had gone differently, but is content with his current life.
That of a quiet existence away from the limelight.”
Oh how I wish I could be more like Marcus, I mused. So at peace with his lot in life.
Slam Dunks goes on to tell about his own deferred dream,
“The story got me thinking of my own life.
What dream for the future did I have as a child?
At what was I was going to be the greatest?
What dream went unfulfilled?”
He then asks readers to share their unfulfilled dreams.
After dabbing my eyes and choking down the lump in my throat, I left the following comment:
“My eyes got misty when I read your post. Boy can I relate with your account of a dream that never materialized.
Although you never found your heart’s desire, I can see you as a geologist of another sort. You turn over every rock as you search for solutions to solve missing persons mysteries. Maybe your hunting found its fulfillment among living treasures, those loved by family and friends and yet forgotten by the world.
My dream deferred was an arts and craft business that my sister and I spent 5 years building. We had to abandon ship when the income did not pay the bills. I think a part of me still wants to play in those waters.”
After thinking about Slam Dunk’s impacting post, I wonder how many of my readers can recall a deferred dream. I also want to ask when, if ever, is it too late to pursue that dream? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
JoDee Luna Art 
Accomplished some to some degree, other evaporated and lost. On the other hand, got things I never dreamed of: 3 grandchildren and one due late August.
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Carl, I love the way you were vague about your deferred dreams and yet made a point to list your true treasures, “3 grandchildren and one due late August.” You’ve definitely got your priorities right.
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I’ve found myself hanging out on a limb a few times. There I asked myself, what am I doing here? Then a still small voice said, this is the way, walk in it. I finally learned this: The things that really matter to me I can’t do anything about. All I can do is trust Jesus. All my hopes are deferred, but by faith, I see those butterfly wings drying out and getting strong. Blessings to you, JoDee…
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Carol, what a beautiful, metaphorical comment. Your imagery is vivid and alive. You quoted one of my favorite scripture, “You will hear a voice behind you saying, this is the way walk in it.” In fact, I just sent a poem and piece with this scripture to someone a few hours ago. Perhaps another post? I’m going to picture “…those butterfly wings drying out and getting strong.”
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Dreams, like hopes change faces with the passing of time, Some dreams remain elusive, while others transform themselves into a new form. Both are beautiful, each one unique and true. Life runs and sometimes we cannot catch up to our expectations, but if we are patient, they will appear again and we will have another chance to find and fulfull those hopes deferred.
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Phyllis, what a wonderful way to describe dreams, “Dreams, like hopes change faces with the passing of time, Some dreams remain elusive, while others transform themselves into a new form.” Although I fret and fume about my deferred dreams, at the end of the day I agree with you, “…if we are patient, they will appear again…” I just hope I’m aware enough to see them in their new form. Thanks for leaving your thoughts…beautiful as always.
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It is never too late,JoDee – NEVER! x iz
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Thank you Izzie! I’m going to trust you on this one.
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Thanks for the highlight JoDee and sorry I am late chiming in over here.
I am glad that you liked the post. I had been kicking that title around “The Best that Never Was” for a few weeks until I understood why it resonated with me–as you say the “deferred dream.”
I have been blessed with young children, who, for know, are interested in what mom and dad are interesting in. This at least lets me live part of the dream through them and perhaps allow them to explore things that may be interesting.
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Slamdunk, thanks for provoking such thought with your post.
I say enjoy your children while they think you are wonderful. You can live off of those memories when they enter into the high school space orbit. Eventually, they come back down to earth in their twenties and respect you once again.
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