Week #7 – Don’t Pretend…Make Plans! Go “Get Your Wings!”

Flight Suit (Photo Credit: Grace Church)

Flight Suit (Photo Credit: Grace Church)

Week #7 – Don’t Pretend…Make Plans!  Go “Get Your Wings!”

Happy Friday — and Happy Halloween!  What are you planning to be today?

For Rob’s wake, a work friend of mine (who didn’t even know Rob) drove nearly two hours to attend his viewing.  While Jim H. waited patiently on line he saw the plane photos, Rob’s pilot log, his flight suit — and on the word board he wrote: “He’s finally got his wings!”

Jim is an artist…a sensitive soul who sees poetry in most people.  His comment is a poignant metaphor…and poetic completion of Rob’s long held desire to BE a pilot.  And Rob didn’t just dream about it…he pursued it every way he could.  He spent time at airports, around planes, talking shop with pilots, logging hours, and enduring long hot summer days on the tarmac at airshows.  I will never really know what it meant to a boy who never traveled very far from home to be miles high in the air with nothing but a propeller to keep him going!  But it made him happy…and he planned around it…and that was enough for me to believe he could be it!

Are you making pretend…or making plans?

Halloween is a day for pretending…pretending to be fierce or funny, scary or sexy.  To masquerade our secret selves…or maybe even disguise our real ones.  But look closer: is there more to your costume than an attempt to collect candy or win an award?  Is there a dream or desire behind that mask that represents a calling to BE something more in your every day life?

Your assignment for this weekend:  If your “costume” became your clothing on November 1st and beyond…what would you pick?  What props or clues, habits or traits would you need to let people know…this is who I am, this is who I was meant to BE.  Then ask yourself…what is the ONE NEXT THING you need to do to go from pretending to planning?  Write it down — and DO IT this weekend.  Don’t pretend…MAKE PLANS!  Go get your wings!

To quote Dr. Frankenfurter’s sweet refrain from Rocky Horror: “Don’t dream it…BE IT!”

Spread Happyness — share your dream, your plans, and your support of others in the comments!

10/31/14 by Grace Church
© Grace Church

10 thoughts on “Week #7 – Don’t Pretend…Make Plans! Go “Get Your Wings!”

  1. Vickey Finn

    TAKE A LESSON!!!! Hello fellow Happyness Spreaders! I love this week’s subject…it is my favorite topic. Let’s go with Nike’s Slogan “JUST DO IT”. Please, take some time to think about something that you have always wanted to do…Do you remember when you were a little kid and sat on your bed and said “someday I’m going to do _______”?(usually right after you asked your parents if you could do something and they said NO)? Well I have a LIST a mile long! What was it that you wanted to do?
    Did you dream about it? Did you try to find it somewhere and just couldn’t? Have you forgotten about it now that we are all involved in the business of being an adult? Think back, identify it, find a resource and “take a lesson”. The best way to learn something new is to try it with someone who knows how to teach it. It does not mean you are going to be perfect at it first shot, (you may not even like it). PLEASE try it, enjoy the process, check it off your bucket list and if you like it, pursue it, if you don’t it makes for a great conversation starter. You may find the thing that has been missing all these years and you didn’t even know it! It might just be the thing that gets you excited to wake up in the morning (like on the first day of summer vacation NO SCHOOL!).. Rob found it with FLYING. (we used to discuss this topic ALOT) In Rob’s honor, please, “Get Your Wings!”. HAVE an AWESOME weekend and SPREAD SOME HAPPYNESS! Regards from Rob’s “other sister”. 🙂

    1. Grace Church Post author

      Thank you so much for this comment, Vickey! It’s so true…it is never to late to learn to skate, ride a horse, a motorcycle, paint, learn karate, start a website, or perform in a musical. As an adult it’s hard to learn new things because we are taught that we need to have everything figured out from the start…trying something new is a great way to learn to be okay with not knowing everything and doing it anyway! 😉

  2. JoAnn

    I just love reading these weekly updates. Such a great way to keep his memory alive and spread all that he possessed. <3

    1. Grace Church Post author

      Hi JoAnn! Thank you so much for finding this and taking time to comment. I’m so glad you are here and look forward to hearing from you anytime! XOXO

  3. Jeanette

    Thank you Grace, for sharing this website with me. What a beautiful tribute to your brother. It brought tears of joy to my eyes! Looking forward to reading the other posts. Lots to think about..I’ve always felt, first I’ll do this, usually something responsible, then I’ll do that..usually something more fun! Think I had it backwards;).

    1. Grace Church Post author

      Hi Jeanette! Thank you so much for paying a visit and taking time to comment. As someone who is just getting to know Rob through this website…it’s especially great to hear from you! Today is Sunday — which rhymes with Funday! Hope you are doing something fun for yourself today!

  4. anne wright

    One of the most fun and exhilarating things my husband and I was to take a ride in a biplane. A wedding gift from my sister Chris who went to heaven last year. A year before Rob almost to the day. When I told Grace about it her comment was,” I can’t believe you are flying in a biplane because you are always worried about your hair. I learned from Grace a biplane not only had two sets of wings But, here is the scary part, it was an open cockpit. I even wore that stylish cap and goggles. Well, I absolutely loved it. I like excitement. I so want to go ziplining. ..yes.

    I have attempted and accomplishmented many of my desires. Here comes the problem. For a few years now due to left taking me left when I desired to go right I have not pursued my desires

    Well, that changes now. Goal list in progress. Bucket list in the works. And, dreaming big.

    So, stay tuned I will soar.

    1. Grace Church Post author

      I know when you set your mind to something you go out and get it (even if it means mussing up your hair)! Go get those wings, Anne!

  5. Jen Keil

    He has his wings for sure! So beautiful, Grace. I love these entries. I was talking to my mother about “Robbie”. I told her that the thing I remember the most was being excited to play whenever I saw he was out on the street! We could all play kickball, but once Robbie came down, it was a game! He brought everybody together! No matter who was up to kick or how they did, he was like a coach and made you want to do it! I can still hear his 10 year old voice, talking like a big guy while he pitched! He got me off the grass and into the street on my heavy old green boy’s bike! He patiently pitched the ball to my little sister and cheered her on whereas a lot of older kids might have told her to get lost! I am so happy to learn of all of the things he accomplished in his short time. He was a very special person and I am glad to have known him as kids.

    1. Grace Church Post author

      Hey Jen! Thank you so much for following the blog and for chiming in with these precious neighborhood memories! Kickball was quite a happening up there in our ‘hood! I love that you remember this so vividly — even your “heavy old green boy’s bike”! I agree — life was always a game when Rob was around, and EVERYONE was invited to play. He was an all inclusive dude! Thanks so much for sharing this with us! 😉

Comments are closed.