How To Breathe Life Into Your Dreams.

What’s in the cemetery over there? I repeatedly quiz my fellow bike riders on a regular route.?They shrug, I answer, countless unrealized dreams and opportunities.

I know some people who are founts of great ideas, sadly with absent execution. Talk, no action.? Fear of failure kills their ideas while still in the nest.? Instead, into the world spring ideas from the naive and the brave.? And never from those planted below headstones.

Yesterday I was reminded by 4-year-old, Isla, If you want to live your best life, you need to pan for gold.? Ha!? Such humorous, yet spot-on advice from an old soul.? How a 4-year-old knows of panning for gold is pure mystery? But the suggestion of taking action to find your dreams is absolutely brilliant.

Jim Carrey, upon seeing his father fail at a job he hated, quipped, “You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”

The sage intelligence from Isla and Jim should have you leaping from your launchpad.? You really have nothing to lose, you’ll either win or learn.? There’s nothing else through that correct lens. And you’ll be better for the effort.

Devouring some delicious pancakes one Sunday made me wonder how maple syrup came to be.? Maybe some lumberjack also eating pancakes said, You know, I’ll bet there’s some sap in those maple trees over there that would be tasty on these pancakes.? Boom!? We now have pancakes more delightful.

What do you get if you don’t take action on your ideas?? Nothing.? If you want to go to Paris you have to take that first step toward the door.? Same with your dreams.? Yes, the first step is the hardest, but failing to act is failing to live.? And you’re either learning or losing.? Ultimately, only upside.

You’re not reading stories of people stuck on their couch.? Nope, those chasing their dreams are inspiring.? So get moving, leave your friends and family with something to talk about, and remember about you.? That guy down your street who gave 40 years to his employer without fanfare, right, I don’t know him either. Don’t be that guy.

A reflection.

The discovery of maple syrup is deeply rooted in the traditions and practices of the Indigenous peoples of North America, long before the arrival of European settlers. According to various Indigenous legends and historical accounts, the process of tapping maple trees to collect their sap was a well-established practice among tribes such as the Algonquin, Iroquois, and Ojibwe.

One popular legend tells the story of a chief who, upon returning from hunting, threw his tomahawk into a maple tree. The following day, he noticed that the sap was dripping from the cut and had collected in a vessel at the base of the tree. Curious, he tasted the liquid and found it to be sweet and pleasant. Intrigued by this discovery, the people began to collect and boil the sap, discovering that it thickened into a sweet syrup.

Indigenous peoples developed efficient methods for harvesting and processing maple sap. They would make incisions in the trees and insert hollow reeds or pieces of bark to channel the sap into containers, often made of birch bark. The collected sap was then boiled over open fires to evaporate the water content, leaving behind the concentrated syrup. This process was labor-intensive, requiring significant skill and knowledge of the trees and their environment.

When European settlers arrived in North America, they learned about maple syrup production from the Indigenous peoples. The settlers adapted these methods using their tools and technologies, such as iron kettles, which made the boiling process more efficient. Over time, maple syrup production became a significant part of the colonial economy, particularly in regions like New England and southeastern Canada, where sugar maples are abundant.

By the 19th century, advancements in technology further improved the efficiency of maple syrup production. The development of metal spouts, large evaporator pans, and more efficient fuel sources allowed for larger-scale production. Today, maple syrup remains a cherished and culturally significant product, with modern producers continuing to refine and innovate upon these age-old techniques.

Thus, the discovery and development of maple syrup are a testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the Indigenous peoples of North America, whose knowledge and practices laid the foundation for this sweet tradition.

To tap your dreams, ask yourself:

1. Do I devote sufficient time to pursue joyful endeavors?
2. Am I brave enough to change my life’s trajectory in light of having a finite time span?
3. Is curiosity given enough oxygen to explore new ways to see the world?

At some point, you’ll regret what you didn’t do. So get going. Take that dusty dream off the shelf and breathe some life into it.? Doing so will add life to your years.