Shadowfeet

I am incredibly fortunate to have AMAZING people in my life. I sometimes stop and think about how lucky I am, and it gets a little overwhelming. It's how I have the courage to laugh when people ask me when I'm going to settle down and get married, so I won't be alone. I'm never alone, and these people aren't just poor substitutions for some person I may or may not have some day. They are perfection and goodness in and of themselves.

One such person is my friend Heather. I have two Heathers, and they're both awesome! One is school Heather, and one is church Heather, though I go to church with both. It's a mystery. Anyway, I went out to eat with church Heather on Friday.

I always love talking to Heather. She is one of the most passionate people I know, and whenever I'm with her she challenges me. We got together for dinner at 5 and didn't leave until almost 9:30. It felt like 15 minutes because we alway talking and always visioneering. This is what I love most about Heather. For some reason, I'm always afraid to say the things I want to do in the future. Sometimes, I get these feelings that the dreams I have may be too good for me.

This is where Heather jumps into say, "Why not? Why can't you do that thing? Or go to that place? Or be that fabulous?" It always takes my breath away a little bit. Why is it that I believe so strongly in other people's visions, and wants, and passions, but I'm fairly certain that my own are just pipe dreams? I have a feeling it has to do with our strengths.

See, Heather is also big into the Clifton Strengths Finder. She makes pretty much everyone she meets take it, and we are all thankful and more self-aware after the fact. Heather has Futuristic and Significance. She can see how things play out into the future, and her significance means that she can't go places unless she feels like she will leave that place or person better than they were before. She loves a plan and she loves planning long term.

I am more a relational person. I have Empathy and Connectedness, so I feel my way through a lot of stuff. Feelings are really good things. There was a time when I thought this wasn't true, but feelings are what make us human, and often times, feelings are what make us humane. I, however, with all my relational skills, don't have great follow through. I never think I can do something because I think I don't have a lot of executing skills, but this is thinking about my deficits and not my strengths. My relational skills make it easier for me to find people who will help me with the follow through. People like Church Heather.

So, I don't have a game plan, and I'm not even sure which dream (or dreams) to tackle first, but I do know that this year I'm going to take some risks. This year I'm going to live like the hopes I have for the future are not only possible but plausible. And I'm probably going to have a lot more dinners with Heather.

P.S. The title of today's post is a reference to a wonderful Brooke Fraser song. I talked about it at dinner with two of my other amazing friends, Dana and Kim, while we were supposed to be discussing Northanger Abbey. As Dana says, "It is a near perfect song."

P.P.S. Am I allowed to blog everyday? Because I sometimes have the inclination, but stop myself as it is some form of self indulgence. Fellow bloggers, some input (also one of my strengths) would be appreciated.