by Larry Crawford
My name is Emma. My kitty’s name is Emma. I found Emma in the city doing what I was doing… trying to find a better life. A life you can feel good about. Something that…… well, I don’t know. But something is out there… and I know it’s better than what I had… what I left. A dream? Sure… I have a dream! Who doesn’t! But… mine is different. Mine is real! It won’t be washed away by people out there who don’t believe. But to be safe, I keep my dream inside…. at my core.
You see… if I let it out and let other people see it…. they’ll tell me it can’t be done! They’ll fight me. They’ll try to make me into something they want. Something I don’t want to be. But… ya know… I can do this!
Sure, I know that it’s going to take hard work! You think I’m an idiot?! Look at me! You think I traveled all this way from a safe home and a loving family to the cold streets of this city on a whim?!
I’m willing. I know it’s going to take more work and more hours and more commitment than I ever dreamed I could do.
But it’s simple. Look at my kitty, Emma. She loves me. She trusts me. She knows I’m going to love her back and feed her and cuddle her and give her all the things she needs in her life, so she can grow.
Hey. Turn it around. If I do what’s needed to create my dream, I know I’m going to receive all the things I need to grow in my life. Why? Because I have this great idea! This great idea of something I can do that no-one has ever done before! Tell you what it is? Are you kidding?!! I’m not going to tell you what it is! I have to work on it first. Get it in place. Set it up. It has to have a few trials. The bugs worked out. Then…. maybe I’ll let you in on the secret.
In the meantime…. anytime you see me… whether it’s at the coffee shop or huddled in my sleeping bag on the cold street or in an elevator or sitting next to you at church or anyplace that seems out of place in your comfy little world… remember, I have this dream. And make no mistake. I WILL make it a reality!! And after I’m done…. I’ll still enjoy a walk on the streets with Emma… just like we always have. Because I’ll be looking toward what I can do next.
But whatever happens along the way… remember… you won’t break me. You can bank on that!
Just look in my eyes.