Unassigned
I recently re-read one of my all-time favorite books, The Great Gatsby. As a writer, I’m not sure if brilliant books like this inspire me to greatness or crush my dreams with their overwhelming excellence.
There were times I had to put it down because the outstanding way in which F. Scott Fitzgerald strings words together could make me weep. (I am not above literary-induced weeping.)
Anyway, very early on in the story we meet a character named Daisy who tells our main character about the moment when she had her firstborn.
“She was less than an hour old and Tom was God knows where. I woke up out of the ether with an utterly abandoned feeling, and asked the nurse right away if it was a boy or girl. She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head away and wept. ‘All right,’ I said, ‘I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool–that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.’ “
A beautiful little fool.
I think that’s a breathtaking way to look at life. So I started thinking of all the areas in my life where I hope to be a beautiful fool; to fling wide the shutters with reckless abandon and chase wholeheartedly after things that matter regardless of the consequences.
The things I came up with were few, but precious to me.
I want to be a fool for God, without whom life is utterly meaningless.
I want to be a fool for justice. To be a voice of truth for those who cannot speak for themselves.
I want to be a fool for love, knowing that true love requires risk and vulnerability.
I want to be a fool for truth. Living my convictions with courage.
I want to be a fool for my dreams. Even if people tell me they are ridiculous.
I want to be a fool for each day, counting every moment I am given as a precious gift laden with the responsibility not to waste it.
So there you have it; I want to be a fool.
And while I may not always be beautiful doing it, I hope to do it beautifully.
