Turning Dreams Into Plans

Today I am sitting and pondering how amazing life can be.

I have a dear friend, Michelle, who recently ran a shoe drive for an African charity. She set a goal of 30,000 pairs when she started out. Her friends and family all supported her, as did the community at large. I have to say though that many an eyebrow was raised! 30,000 pairs? Good luck! was heard many times over by nay-sayers and even by those participating, including Michelle herself.

Old bottles are sometimes used when proper shoes can not be found or afforded

But no matter what the voices in the back of her head said, no matter what the negativity mongers spate at her, she kept going. And going. It was such an inspiration to me. Seeing this person whose heart is as big as the whole world plugging away, day in and out. She had many set backs and one day of desperation where she questioned if what she was doing was worth it all. But she perservered and her light shone through!

Otherwise unusable shoes are made into new ones

At the end of it all the count was an amazing 30,876 pairs of shoes. Not only did she "make it" but she went beyond her original goal. Just one woman with one goal was all it took to make the dream she had come to fruition! She asked for help, no doubt about it, but the real driving force was Michelle.

Why am I blathering on and on about this? Because it reminds me of how often people think of some amazing thing they would like to do and then abandone it when the doubt of either themselves or others sets in. How often have I done that very thing? How often have you? Well, thanks to Michelle that will not happen to me again! If she can make that dream a reality then it is proof positive that anything you or I set our minds to can be accomplished.