I don't want to end up like Roy Hobbs. You know Roy. The hero of the New York Knights, who for a season in his 40s shined on the baseball field like he did when he was young. A savior who with his bat, Wonder Boy, blew away fans and blew out light bulbs. Who made baseball something more than just a game. Who made every grown man cry, then rewind back to the beginning of the final scene to watch it twice, and then cry again.
Why wouldn't I want to be Roy Hobbs? Because I don't want to be in my 40s and meet my dreams. I want to be 28 and live out my dreams. I don't want to vanish during my formative years and succumb to lower expectations. I could blame that vanishing on my location. I live in the midwest, where it is common practice to push down dreams and go with the flow. To work jobs that are unfulfilling all the while saying "Everyone hates their jobs right?" To refuse our personal happiness and say it is noble to sacrifice. To be a martyr and say it is for the greater good. Let me blunt... this is crap.
This attitude is wrong. If we pursue our dreams and live them out then we are doing the greater good. We are happy and therefore the one's we love are happy as well. No one who truly loves you would want you to trash your inner urging so they could drive a brand new Mercedes. They want you to succeed. They want you to dance around with a huge smile on your face. They want you to enjoy life. They love you, remember?
We are meant to do more. You can call it destiny, purpose, meaning. I call it reality. What if every kid who said they wanted to be a policeman, fireman, pilot, actor, talk show host never let that dream die? Would we have a bunch of happy people? Can you honestly answer that question with no?
Sure people grow out of phases of desire. Some of those childhood dreams don't pan out. That little boy who played cops and robbers watches the show "Cops" one time and thinks "hmmm, that's nothing like Lethal Weapon, I'd better switch career paths now before I know what a career path even is." And that is OK, maybe that boy will keep his heart of justice and one day pick up a badge and help the world.
Back to Roy. Though I don't want to be Roy, I do see him as a hero. It doesn't matter that he is a washed up, old man... he STILL picks up that bat and gives his dreams a swing. Roy Hobb shrugs off the doubting crowd and steps to the plate. And in that choice he shows us that we can all pursue our destiny, our purpose, our meaning... our reality.
So I'll pick up my video camera and give my dreams a shot. What about you?
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