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As I Grow Older

As I Grow Older

It was a long time ago.
I have almost forgotten my dream.
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun—
My dream.

And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Between me and my dream.
Rose slowly, slowly,
Dimming,
Hiding,
The light of my dream.
Rose until it touched the sky—
The wall.

Shadow.
I am black.

I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me,
Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.

My hands!
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand whirling dreams
Of sun!

-Langston Hughes

As the year of two thousand and eight begins to find its comfort, establishing our goals, our habits, and ourselves become a focus. A flashback of 2007, presents the aspects that we excelled at, along with the challenges in which we failed miserably. All which come to mind with one common understanding - to improve.

As the year begins to shed its youth and turns that first corner into the spring season, establishing that drive to improve, to get better, to want more, and to seek more is essential. Not all movement is forward progress, but there is no forward progress without movement. In order for forward progress to occur, challenges must be met, souls evaluated, and fears conquered.

2007 and its failures are in the past, along with a younger, inexperienced mindset. Experience can keep a dream alive, or it can put it to death. Now is the time to put those lessons from failure in a mental play book, to be used for the game of life.

Dream. Do whatever it takes. Move mountains.

Leave yourself behind, and make it happen.

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