So, a buddy of mine sent me a video of this guy, Charlie Farley. It’s hillbilly rap, for a better use of words. Very interesting. I’ve always enjoyed a little rap since I was a kid. Yep, I bought a cassette of NWA back in 1988 when they’re big album came out. I like how people can take words and mix them to music; basically poems with some soul and a good beat. I listened to Charlie’s music and watched the video. Pretty cool stuff. Here’s one of his videos.
After watching this video I went to his website. This kind of piqued my interest. Then I got to thinking, “This dude had passion and went after it and it seems to me that he didn’t lose himself and just stayed true to who he is. He caught his dream”. Then I started thinking of my daughter. She’s a very musical young lady. Her first year of college has been quite an eye opener for her and she’s at that place where she doesn’t quite know what she wants to do with her life. She kind of feels like she’s just floating. We had lunch yesterday and I explained to her some things about life and how she should continue to pursue her dream and passion of music and performing. She can totally do it. She’s got “It”. We all know it’s a very competitive industry which can be very overwhelming to someone so young.
I’m big on setting goals. I often ask people, “What did you want to be when you were a little kid? Why don’t you do it”? Too many people look at that dream and passion and it seems inconceivable to them. Like it’s too far-fetched and could never happen. Me? I’ve lived my dream. When I was a small boy all I ever wanted to do was travel the world and carry a gun. Be a soldier. Hunt bad guys and get paid for it. Well…I’ve done that. I could die peacefully now. But!! God has more in store for me. I’m not sure what it is but I’m working on that one.
Point is, if you have a dream or passion, why aren’t you pursuing it? What’s stopping you? People? Society? Family? The old saying, “If you put your mind to it you can accomplish anything” is so true. I explained to my daughter that she was at the base of the mountain looking up at the top, thinking, “HO LY cow!! That is so far up there”. And I’m sitting on the top saying, “Come on up!!! The view is beautiful”!! She just laughed. I told her that I had climbed many mountains. Some I didn’t want to but had/needed to and that they are all possible to summit and overcome.
When I was in high school I went on an Outward Bound trip in Leadville, Colorado. It was the 14 Day Alpine Mountaineering course. Years later, I found out that Outward Bound was considered a program for “troubled youths”. Oh well. That trip truly, did, change my life and lessons from that trip stick with me to this day. Tahoe Roland, God rest his soul, was the lead instructor. One evening he pointed up to the top of a mountain and said, “Tomorrow, we’re going to climb that mountain and camp on the other side”. I said, “No way! There’s no way I’m gonna be able to climb up that mountain with this backpack on”. I weighed about 120 lbs at the time and the pack I was carrying weighed almost half my weight. He laughed and said to me, “Bryan, do you ever have any problems or issues in life”? I said, “Yeah”. Then he said, “Think of that mountain like a problem in life that you have to overcome. The ONLY way you’re gonna be able to climb to the top of that mountain is by putting your head down and put one foot in front of the other until you’re at the top. Don’t look at the top of the mountain and be overwhelmed by the size or height. Just look down and keep moving forward. There will be some switchbacks and some actual hand-over-hand climbing. We’ll have to use ropes and equipment and it’s going to be very hard. But we’re going to do it. You’re going to do it”. I just stood there and thought, “OK, I trust this guy. He’s a really cool dude, too. He’s climbed Everest The Matterhorn and every other giant mountain in the world. Let’s do this”. You know the end of the story, we did it. The feeling of accomplishment was such a high to me. Now, I try to apply that in my life. Problems, dreams, etc., no matter how big or small, are all conquerable.
If you have a dream or passion, pursue it. Do your due diligence and read, study and research. You CAN do anything if you put your mind to it. You have to make a choice and decide your attitude. You may have to ditch friends, family or anyone who may be an anchor in your life. Do it. Of course, me being a Christian guy, pray about it. Ask God to walk with you and guide you through your climb. Chase your dreams. Do want you wanted to do when you were a kid. We grow through life’s challenges.
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