Make Your Dreams Come :True: Passion

My roommate was going to our school convenience store so I decided I would check my mail. As I reached in my tiny mailbox, I saw a small magazine fall to the floor. I screamed. I immediately picked it up, flipped to the content listing, and flipped to another page. I knew what the story would say, I just wanted to see the three words: By Diane Kulseth.

The time was finally here. I had worked so hard on two articles this summer for Tobias Magazine. There they were in their full-colored glory. I had written for newspapers throughout high school, but this was a magazine. There was something about feeling the glossy paper run through your fingers. I was overwhelmed.

It all started when my former newspaper advisor from high school writing days contacted me. She’s since become a nationally syndicated columnist and is also the editor for Tobias. (Strangely enough, if it wasn’t for that youth newspaper way back in the day, I may have never met one of my dearest friends now…) She asked if I would be interested in writing for Tobias, after stumbling upon some of my life goals on this blog. I couldn’t thank her enough for letting me be a part of a publication that I believe in, and allowing me to feel that thrill of being published in print again.

As I reflected on that list of life goals, I realized something: It’s up to me to make my dreams come true. My parents, my brother, a future significant other, a supervisor, a friend, a mentor…they can all support me and show me options, but they cannot make my dreams come true. It’s up to me. Whether it’s publicly asking for assistance in finding such opportunities, or sitting down and setting a plan to accomplish these goals, it’s all truly up to me.

And in the end, it requires something huge. It requires true passion to make your dreams come true. It was the passion I had for Delta Sigma Pi that moved me to speak before the brothers of my business fraternity to motivate them to start building their future today. It was passion for Music Ministry Alive! that propelled me to start up a scholarship that has now raised nearly $1500 in two years… It was passion for wanting to be a mother that jump-started my desire to finally lose weight.

In a wonderful video blog, Erica Mayer challenges us to find a charity to give $20 to. For a holiday challenge, I want to challenge all of you to find that passion that propels you to change the world for the better. If you love basketball, donate 3 hours of your time a week to coach kids. If you love to paint, consider helping the elderly at a nursing home with painting lessons. Donate your time, talent, or treasure to a cause you believe in. There is true giving in offering what you have to people who have less, especially when you have the passion to see it through. You may even make someone else’s dream come true.

For those confused by the title, it’s a two part title: Make your Dreams come True/True Passion