Let There Be Peace

48 Dreams Left on the Way to Completing 101 Dreams Come True

On September 11, 2010,  I stood at the Sacramento Cathedral steps, the setting sun illuminating the church spires in pink, as white doves were released over the crowd. A soft song of "Let There Be Peace On Earth" was sung, as one by one, people placed roses on the Quran in blessing. Religious leaders from the Bahia, Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Spiritual Life, Hindu, and different Christian religions read passages of peace from the Quran. The crowd was just as diverse, coming together in the understanding if we're to have peace on earth then prejudice must come to an end.

The ceremony was an attempt to heal the hurt caused by a man in Florida who called for the Quran to be burned. As I looked around the crowd, who stood together in a vision of a world united by differences instead of disgraced by ignorance, I was surrounded by hope.

When I made my list of 101 Dreams Come True, I wrote that I wanted to bring all faiths together in an open discussion for understanding. At the time, I wasn't part of organized religion but had my own spirituality that I hold to this day (though I'm now part of a Franciscan church). I didn't have contact with any Muslims, so my only knowledge of the Islamic faith was what I'd seen on newscasts, movies, and what I'd heard from other people. If I'm completely honest, I had prejudice towards many organized faiths (Catholicism being one) that I hadn't recognized.

But as I've searched for ways to make this dream come true of bringing faiths together, I've become part of the Interfaith Service Bureau of Sacramento that's opened my heart and mind to many religions: I've shared Ramadan in my Catholic Church; gone to Iftar at the SALAM center; prayed with Muslims in a mosque; taken a class on Monotheism led by Christian leaders, Rabbis, and an Imam; meditated with Unitarians; done Yoga with Hindus; walked through Potala Palace with a Buddhist monk; attended Non-denominational services; and have become an active member of my church. As I've studied faith, I've realized that all religions are based on the same ideals: a higher power; love; treating others better than we expect to be treated; and that humans so often get it wrong and need a little help along the way.


I have to wonder, if we're similar in our basic beliefs then why do we have a bloody history when it comes to religion? The only answer I have is that ideas are formed in ignorance and then passed along. It's only in learning and sharing with one another that we can end this horrible history of hate. For when people come together in peace, no matter what the faith, it brings forth love, understanding, and friendship. And isn't that what life is all about?

Photos on this blog were done by James Tennery. To see more photos of the event go to his gallery.

Half Way

51 Dreams Left on My List of 101 Dreams Come True

So it happened, I hit number fifty on my list of dreams. I haven't had time to update the website, so look for the description in the coming weeks.

I wanted the halfway mark to be something symbolic I could carry for the rest of my life. I decided the dream that would most fit this purpose would be to buy a beautiful piece of jewelry for myself. This way, whenever I wore the piece it would remind me that I had the courage to break through doubt and fear to go after what I really desired.

This dream, like many others, came about in an unusual way - my house was broken into, all of my jewelry was stolen, and I had insurance money to go shopping. I replaced much of the costume pieces by having a jewelry party with my girls. My mother gave me pearls for my birthday, but I couldn't find the one piece that I would want to wear forever as a reminder.

Then two days ago, as I was running errands, I saw a jewelry store. I went inside, and the first ring I saw was the one. A diamond center, set in white gold it curves around my finger with tiny leaves and more diamonds. It's a one of a kind piece designed by the jeweler of the store.

The greatest part of this purchase was meeting the woman who sold it to me. She said that her motto was to never settle for less. That at one point she was about to marry a doctor who seemed perfect on paper, but she wondered if she could spend her life making the relationship fit. She decided to walk away. Four months later she met a man in Border's and though he seemed wonderful she wasn't ready to exchange numbers. Little did she know that she employed one of his students and that her employee would overhear his teacher talking about the woman he met at the bookstore. The young man told his teacher where this amazing woman worked and brought the two of them together. They've now been married seventeen years with two beautiful children.

When I look at my ring, I remember how I decided not to settle in life. With fifty dreams come true, I've changed who I am, how I look at the world, and have fallen in love with life and myself. I'm still a work in progress. Doubt still walks with me as I pursue the rest of my dreams. I'm taking a skating test next Saturday as I try to accomplish my dream of reaching Senior Moves in figure skating, and I've been in a bad mood as I contemplate failing. I'm also trying to achieve things in my career and before I've even begun I see the failure that could happen. My fears haven't happened. I could just as easily see my endeavors in a positive light, yet my mind chooses to see the worst case scenario. I'm unsure why I still do this after all the miracles that have come into my life. Hopefully, when I reach 101 Dreams Come True, I will finally put these nagging thoughts to rest.

The Question of Settling

744 Days to Complete 101 Dreams Come True

From the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The old man pointed to a baker standing in his shop window. "When he was a child, that man wanted to travel, too. But he decided first to buy his bakery and put some money aside. When he's an old man, he's going to spend a month in Africa. He never realized that people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of."

According to Webster's dictionary the word 'settle' means: to accept despite complete satisfaction. I hate to say this, but I believe this describes most people's lives. They begin with big dreams and somehow, like the baker in the story of the Alchemist, they get stuck in a rut complaining about what they hate and dreaming of things changing without being willing to do the work.

The more I forge forward on this journey of settling for nothing less than magnificence in my life, the more I see and hear how people settle. I didn't notice before. In fact, many times I was jealous of others lives that seemed more stable. I'm not saying that everyone is settling. You don't have to want to go after 101 dreams in order to be happy. But too many people tell me about their unhappiness and make excuses for why they can't change something.

There's always a way. At any moment you can change your life and go after your dreams. It might not be easy. No one ever said this journey of mine is all peaches and cream. Though I must say it's much easier than what I thought it was going to be. I spent five years afraid and all I had to do was step out of my fear. I was terrified to take that first step. The months after seemed the most painful of my life - yet when I look back I don't see the hurt but the strength that came from the pain and how much I grew.

At any time, your dreams are just a step away. They may take work, risk, a complete change, but they're possible. I'm living proof of that, and I'm no different than you.

Maybe I Should Quit

832 Days to Complete 101 Dreams Come True

Today I want to quit. I want to retreat and forget about this list. I want to return to a normal life, get a regular job and stop shooting for the stars.

I feel like a failure in so many aspects of my life. I worked so hard on a fiction novel, attained agent representation only to have the book stalled with the editors for almost a year now. I gave everything I had to a relationship for a year only to have it fall apart. I'm watching my savings deplete as I create this website to inspire others to attain their dreams while I pursue mine, and I'm not sure I can do this.

I know if I do quit, if I stop going after my dreams, I can have a normal, safe life. I can get a regular job, keep my savings, live in the home that I own outright, and the person I love will no longer be threatened by my life. In fact, I could have my choice of men to be in a relationship with if I'm just willing to be more normal.  Instead of every day striving for more, moving past my fears, and taking risks, I could simply live. And it would be a good life: romantic dinners; pancakes on Sunday night while curled up watching a movie; salsa dancing once in awhile; skating; and someone who I fall asleep and wake up next to every day who loves me along with the chance for children. Right now that sounds really nice.

A friend said to me that she asked a number of men in her life if they could handle being with someone like me. All of them said, "no". The men agreed that they wouldn't want to be in a relationship with someone who travels alone for such long periods of time or that had so much attention because she lights up a room. My friend said, "I think maybe you're meant to be alone with wonderful people who surround you, but you're too independent to be part of a relationship. No man is secure enough to be with you." My male friends tend to agree with this idea.

On top of this, I've realized that if I want to continue going after my dreams, I have to consider selling my house. I can make a profit right now, and if I pick up another house and fix it up over the course of the year it will give me the time and financial backing to continue going after my dreams. Of course there is no guarantee that my house will sell for the price I need nor will I definitely find another house to buy. It means packing and being uprooted once again. And I will have to do all of this by the end of April. But I leave in three weeks to go to Europe by myself and I still have nothing planned.

I want to quit so badly and be safe, but I can't. I know me. I will regret if I retreat. I want to see the Mountain Gorillas. I want to raft and kayak the Futaleufu. The greatest moments of my life have been when I've achieved my dreams.

I guess if this journey was easy everyone would do it. So instead of retreating, I'm going to pick myself up, go to Lowe's and buy the materials I need to finish the renovation on my house. Then tomorrow I will call the Realtor and put my house on the market. One of my dreams is to trust in God always. At this moment that trust is really being put to the test. 

Like a Moth to a Flame

838 Days to Complete 101 Dreams Come True

I know I've been silent for many days now. To be honest, my head has been spinning with media kits, web design, press releases, search engine optimization, and a whole bunch of other stuff having to do with making this journey public. Lately, going after my dreams has seemed to take the back burner, while learning about social media has come forward. I hope that in a few weeks the website will be automated and I will be able to return to my real focus - living the most decadent life I can.

I've also been missing someone lately and when I try to write, the words crash into a brick wall of feelings. I kick and push at the bricks wanting to force them down, but I just slam harder into my heart. When I began this journey I was single, but along the way I met an amazing person who kind of lit up my world. He knew how to make me laugh. He treated me like a princess. He planned amazing date nights down to the last detail. When I was scared or hurting, he'd wrap his arms around me and life felt right.

Going after this journey ripped us apart. The more I was gone, or talked about travel, the more his insecurities exploded. Many people have said that it's my fault - that I made him feel left out. People have commented that they couldn't handle being in a relationship with me due to how I live my life - that they would be jealous and insecure. One friend said, "Do you know how hard it is watching you achieve everything you desire while I live an ordinary life?"

I don't understand. If that's how people feel, envious and jealous, then why not make their own lists and go after them? I'm not a super-hero who has all the money in the world and no worries on how I'm going to make this happen. If I can do this anyone can.

The man I left has told me numerous times that he's proud of me for going after my dreams. He's trying to deal with the insecurities my life brought out in him and we've remained friends. But lately I've been feeling that I'm kind of poison to men. There have been plenty circling. I have been called the 'honey-pot', and "There's Something About Marci", along with other not so nice terms such as, 'man-eater'. It's been said that I have freaky pheromones that cause men to be insane. The truth - going after the life you want carries a distinct passion that people find attractive. Like moths to a flame. The problem seems to lie in when they get close to the light they want it to dim. And I want to get brighter.