as most of you (all two of you who read my blog) know, i am a part of a vibrant community in l.a. called mosaic. after perhaps one of the more stressful weeks of my life (not entirely an exaggeration), i decided to devote this week's blogging time to the conversations that have begun at mosaic around the idea of dreams.

now, l.a. is a city full of people with big dreams. and i'm sure people are annoyed with my constant reiteration of the talent that surrounds me on a daily basis. but i can't help but start this little "blog series" by saying how humbled i am to be a part of a community who believes in beauty, creativity and the pursuit of dreams.

take, for instance, our gathering yesterday. usually we have the typical church set up ... music, a bumper video, talk and then maybe a few announcements. not yesterday. yesterday we were in full mosaic form. my band was fortunate enough to play for the series kick off ... horn players, string section, our A team of singers and DJs. all original music inspired by where we live. and it got me thinking about the dreams i've had that have come true and all the new ones that i never thought i would consider.

the people in the picture above represent my dream of creativity and innovation. when i'm in the same room with these people, i can break away from the doubt and fears that keep me from the life awaiting me. that's huge. that's what happens when you're surrounded by people who are doing exactly what they were created to do ... they somehow open up space for you to take the risks to claim the life awaiting you ...

so here are some thoughts erwin had about dreams this week:
is there a dream that haunts you?
there are some dreams that are so compelling that they scare us because failing .. would mean losing everything. so we settle.
how much of what we're living is based on living under the rubble of our past failures?
what's the dream waiting on the other side of your fears?
if your dream became your life, would the world be a better place?

as i was thinking about the dreams i've had for my life, i began to wonder if the dreams of my past derive from a need for attention and acceptance or if there really is significance to them.

as i listed some of the more obvious dreams of my past (singing, living in a big city, traveling, running a business), i realized there are dreams that get little air time in my conversations. even as i was listing my dreams, there were a few that i tried to ignore. why?

erwin said something that i have been playing back in my mind as i try to sift through my thoughts and move towards a life that is more alive ...

"i didn't want to show people my work because i didn't want them to say it was awful. i at least wanted to hope ..."

hope. i at least want to hope that the dreams that lay buried beneath my fears will come true 'some day.' because isn't that, after all, the most devastating of thoughts ... to give everything you have to something you believe in only to fail? or is it enough to just be pursuing that which brings us hope?

what life awaits you on the other side of your fears?