Sail On Silver Girl (or Guy)

My oldies station played Bridge Over Troubled Water this Morning. I love that song and always sing along at the top of my lungs. Perhaps it is because one of my beloved junior high teachers would frequently provide is index cards with lyrics from some of Paul Simon’s songs and have us discuss them for the poetry that they are.  Perhaps it is because the music itself is so wondrous. I am a sucker for a good lyric—ummm i happen to be in love with words. did you know that?  

But think about the lyrics. “Sail on silver girl, sail on by; your time has come to shine; all your dreams are on their way. If you need a friend, I’m sailing right behind….” I am in LOVE with that song and lyric today. 

Imagine that. All your dreams are on their way. Imagine if that was a quote straight from God (or for that matter from someone you dearly love)—your time has come to shine; all your dreams are on their way…I mean it is so reassuring in scary times or uncertain times or even sad times….

I am a faith-filled and optimistic woman. So when I hear that, indeed, all my dreams are on their way–somedays just hearing that is enough. Even if I know that financial struggles may never end. Even if I know that my Bell’s Palsy or my son’s Lupus may never end. What I believe is this: Yes, all my dreams are on their way. However, I may not be aware that some of the things that are on their way are my dreams. I may think my dreams are one thing, but the thing that is heading my way is even better.

I must keep trying, striving, dreaming. I must do so even if it looks like it will take 20 years to get something done. Mark Twain wrote: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do…Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream, and discover”.

Now going back to not being aware that something is my dream because I have been wanting something else, here is a terrific perspective-example. When my son was 6  he had a good buddy that lived down the block who was 11. That guy was a great kid–and he had a very cool Bat-mobile toy. It was about a foot long and each side popped off, transforming it into a narrower, sleeker Bat-mobile.

My son wanted one of those for Christmas. We searched high and low. We called friends that lived all over the country. No luck–no stores had it in stock. We picked up a small metal one that had a string you pulled. You set it down, released the string, and that little metalic Bat-mobile would zoom across the floor. It was probably made by Hot Wheels and cost maybe $2. we picked it up just in case. We headed out of state for Christmas to stay with my parents (shipping the gifts ahead). My husband and I were worried that he would be heartbroken not to have that cool Bat-mobile. My dad wisely told us that we were nuts. Nuts.

Christmas morning my son opened that Bat-mobile and tried it out. He was beyond excited (he was never materialistic in the first place—why were we worried===yeh, nuts). Guess what he said—and oh it was perfect.

He said with total joy and excitement “WOW! I didn’t even know I wanted this kind of Bat-mobile!! THANKS Santa!”

And THAT is what I am TALKing about!! Yes, all our dreams are on their way, indeed. And it will be so very good. Set your sails to the wind and sail on straight onto midnight and straight on ’til morning. I am an Easter Woman and Alleluia is my song.