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At What Price?

I have more guest writing assignments to post but today I thought I’d share with you some things I’ve learned this week.

I recently added “Live Your Dreams” to my blog title and I’m a firm believer in that concept because life is to precious to look back and say “could have, would have, should have.” But the past week has opened my eyes to a different concept. How hard are you willing to work to achieve those dreams?

In class, we are reading a book entitled “Making Shapely Fiction.” It’s a great little handbook full of tips on how to produce a short story and how not to produce a short story. I posed the question to my professor if I followed the formulas in the book, would I produce a great story and his answer was:

“It takes hard work.”

Many of you reading this will say of course it takes hard work but to me, it was a revelation. I sit down at the computer, start writing a story and it either flows or it doesn’t. I’ve always thought writing was a natural process, one where you are talented or you are not, but this week I’ve learned that perhaps even more important than talent is the dedication and the hard work you are willing to put into the process.

Khrysta has been sitting idle for several months primarily because Mountain Man told me people don’t ride here in the winter and I didn’t take the responsibility to check out his assertion even though he doesn’t ride. Recently, I found out that in fact people do ride in the Northeast Kingdom all winter despite the unforgiving conditions. As soon as I found out it was safe for Khrysta to be out on the trails, I determined to ride in the 15 mile April mud ride competition. I spoke with my trainer about it and she told me she didn’t think I’d be ready. It’s too soon, I’m older and there is a lot of work to be done. She told me I have to ride a minimum of five miles every day and keep increasing it. I have to be willing to put in the hours in the saddle despite the weather and keep working on increasing my strength.

Yesterday, I took Khrysta out for a ride and after being idle for so long, she certainly had other ideas about leaving her comfortable, sunny run in shed. I pushed her through her tantrum, headed out and we ended up having the most spectacular ride of our lives through snowy drifts. We both relaxed, had a wonderful time and reveled in the joy of life. Our journey took us more than five miles and we arrived back home energized from the excitement of stepping out of our small world. I rubbed her down, gave her a kiss and came back in and got on the treadmill and ran two miles.

When we think about living our dreams, first we have to define them. My dreams are to write a book worth publishing and my other dream is to compete in the 100 mile ride. I’ve identified these dreams, yes, but now I realize neither of them will come to me without my putting in the requisite work. I can’t sit down at the computer, write something and give up because it isn’t worthy of reading. I can’t expect to compete in a 100 mile ride without dedication to riding despite the weather.

Sacrifice, hard work. Is it worth it?

I know when I leave this earth, I don’t want my last words to be “if only.”