It's no accident that certain stories rivet our attention. Listening to these tales with perked "inner ears" alerts us to possibilities we've never considered before. Reading these stories with keen "inner sight" awakens us to previously unseen guidance or support. The story I'm sharing with you touched
core of my being and propelled me towards my dream. This true tale is about Kathy, whose quest for her dream took a sudden and unexpected U-turn.I met Kathy at a personal growth workshop. Kathy Swan is a single mom with two charming teenage girls. When her daughters dropped by gathering to say hello, I sensed deep love and harmony flowing between girls and their mother. Little did they know that their rapport would soon be put to test.
The Swan family lived in Chicago. Yet, for many years, Kathy fantasized about having a house in country. A rural setting, my friend believed, would provide security she craved her entire life. Finally her dream came true. Kathy was given a secluded, wooded piece of property in rolling hills of Kentucky. After putting a mobile home on land, threesome moved in lock, stock and barrel.
The Dream Goes South
The remote beauty and quiet of emerald green hills won Kathy's heart. And for first time in her life, she felt safe and comfortable. She had only one problem. Her daughters were miserable! The teenagers dearly missed their close friends and exciting urban bustle. The Swan's were in turmoil. Overnight, Kathy's dream of security turned into a nightmare of conflict.
Steve Martin Saves Day!
After three weeks of homesteading, frazzled family drove to nearest town to see a movie. "Cheaper by Dozen," starring Steve Martin, was showing on local faded silver screen. This motion picture turned out to be an uncanny reflection of real-life struggle Swans were going through in their new home. In flick, father of 12 children pursues his dream of coaching college football. In her life, Kathy was pursuing her dream of feeling safe. To reach his objective, father relocates his clan from country to big city. To secure her goal, my friend relocated her family from big city to country. The kids in screenplay don't want to move. Kathy's kids didn't want to move. The celluloid dad isn't going to let anyone get in way of what he thinks will make him happy. Our down-home mom wasn't going to let anyone get in way of what she thought would give her joy—until she saw film!
I still get goose bumps as I recall Kathy sharing her moment of insight with me. "The father reaches his professional coaching goals," Kathy relates, "but at price of becoming more distant from his children. In one scene, Steve Martin realizes that having his dream is meaningless without having closeness of his children in his life." At moment in film when dad decides to bridge gap with his children, Kathy decides to bridge gap with her brood. The way Kathy chooses to create harmony between herself and her kids instantaneously transforms her family. In a split second, Kathy elects to move back to Chicago. Upon leaving movie, family goes home and packs up their belongings. Two days later, reunified family makes their way back to The Windy City.
