Newsletter Articles written by Tera Thomas
Issue 25
Living a Dream
by Tera Thomas
I have always been a dreamer. For much of my life that did not feel like a good thing; it was a name I was called for not paying attention, proof that I could not measure up to bigger, better, smarter human beings. Dreamers were losers.
In first grade, we were instructed to copy the alphabet just the way the teacher had written it on the blackboard. We had special four-lined paper so we could get the proportions of the letters just right. To make mine special, I colored in the letters in a rainbow of hues; it was so beautiful. The teacher did not share my enthusiasm. She held my paper up, “This is not the way to write the alphabet! Did you listen to instructions?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said, looking at the floor, flushed with embarrassment. “If you cannot follow instructions you will be nothing when you grow up. Do you understand?”
This was one of so many times in my life that it was pointed out to me that I was not like the others, that I could not focus, that I would not succeed. Maybe it was my Pisces rising, maybe it was an inner knowing, something kept me picturing my life and my world in ways that I didn’t see reflected in the schoolroom or the world around me, and no matter how many times I was punished for it, I could not and would not stop dreaming.
Many years later, it became clear to me that our thoughts (and actions) create the reality we live in and that dreaming big could create big. As I began to more consciously put forth what I wanted to create, those thoughts and dreams showed themselves in my life—the positive, productive thoughts as well as the negative ones. I have become diligent in rooting out the hidden beliefs that I am not enough, the negative mantras I learned growing up that told me only a chosen few would ever amount to anything. As I find these beliefs and heal them, my dreams for my personal life and for the planet become stronger and more positive. It is a miracle that all of us have this kind of power, but we do.
My life now is a manifestation of all my dreams. The personal part of my dreaming pictured me living on a beautiful piece of land, surrounded by animals, doing work that felt valuable and spiritual to me. The bigger, global part of the dream saw people reconnecting with nature and animals, recognizing that we are all valuable, that we have a responsibility to nurture this planet, to work in harmony with the Earth and all species. Hummingbird Farm was born from this dream and continues to grow as the dream expands.
I am more committed now than ever before to being a part of the healing of this planet, of restoring our connection with all species and returning to balance. Sometimes I take a few steps forward and then a few steps backwards, but even when it seems slow, I am moving forward.
I used to wonder how animals could be so loving and so forgiving of us humans when we have caused them so much pain. They have shown me that they see us as we truly are at the core, a spark of love and creativity that has the power to change the world. Animals nurture that spark in us and love it into reality. I do not want to disappoint the animals or the Earth by not living up to my potential as a fellow spark of light on this planet. I want to stand beside the animals as a force of love and goodness.
It is my intention in this next year to open myself further than I ever thought possible to allow a deeper trust and connection with all of life. It is my intention to allow who I am and what I do to infuse myself and others with inspiration and possibility, and to draw to Hummingbird Farm the people and resources to energize this blueprint of living in harmony with all species so that it can grow and prosper all over this planet. It is my intention to welcome into my heart the dreams of others so that all can be woven into a fine tapestry of love infused, purpose infused living.
We are all dreamers. No matter what our parents, our teachers, or our collective belief systems told us when were younger, we are meant to dream the life we want for ourselves and our planet. We are all important; we are all meant to dream big, to be inspiration for others and inspired by others, to be a part of the destiny of this planet. What we think and what we do matters. It is easy to discount that and to become lazy in our thinking, to just accept that we are nothing more than a cog in the machine. I say Dream! And dream big! Let each day be another revelation in your own creative power and allow the universe to work through you and with you. If we all take that responsibility and begin to truly put forth these big dreams, what a world we will create. Let’s do it now!
