One of my guilty pleasures is watching MTV's 16 & Pregnant. You've seen it right? It always start with the girl giving background details of her life. She talks about where she's from, her family, and then she talks about how things have changed with the panning of the camera to a huge stomach with her saying the ending tagline..."because, I'm pregnant."
I notice on 16 & Pregnant that up until the birth of their child, the mothers are generally living a carefree and easy life. They are preparing for their child to be born. They buy the crib, take breathing classes, beg their parents to understand, try to get their finances in order, and they genuinely believe that on or around that due date, a baby is popping out of their vagina.
The same approach should be taken when we pursue our dreams. If it takes nine months for a baby to be nursed and planned, what makes us think we can birth a dream overnight. Also, it is important that we set a time limit as to when our plan should be attained and achieved. If we can predict when a baby, a precious life, a human being, will enter the world, who are we to say our dreams can come and go whenever they want. We have to give them a due date.
Another thing I notice on the show, is that once that baby is born, it's a wrap! The mother is entirely consumed with every single detail concerning that baby. She rises with the baby, the goes to sleep with the baby, stays up long nights with the baby, feeds the baby, smiles at the baby, spoil the baby, bathe the baby, and so on. I have yet to see an episode where a mother gives birth to the baby and either leaves it at the hospital or takes it home only to collect dust on the shelf. That's simply negligent. For the ones that do ignore the needs of their baby, are generally the ones that live a life of regret, confusion, conflict, and emotional distress. They simply weren't ready for the baby. Then there are the mothers that decide to give their baby away because there is always someone else who will take a neglected dream, I mean baby, and care for it and nurture it as though it were their own because they failed to produce a baby of their own.
A lot of us are unfit mothers when it comes to the dreams and ideas placed in us. Some of us are 86 weeks pregnant, overdue, or we have neglected a baby we gave birth to four years ago. We can't find our baby.
And just like that Cosby episode, men can get pregnant too.
For you nosey people, I AM pregnant but there is no human being growing inside of me. Instead there are a myriad of ideas, poems, songs, events, websites, businesses, and dreams that I am preparing to birth and when they are born I will give them my full attention and parent them with the responsibility that God has entrusted to me.
How do you know if you're pregnant?
Unfortunately, a traditional pregnancy test won't help detect this kind of pregnancy. But here's a test: Answer yes or no to the following questions.
1. Do you see something and immediately think of ways that it can be done better?
2. Do you get ideas of a business or service that you or someone you know can provide?
3. Have you caught yourself daydreaming of being in the spotlight doing a hobby you love?
4. Do you ever say, "If I had ______, I would do______."?
5. Do you think of unconventional ideas that could benefit others around you?
6. Ever get frustrated with an issue effecting a large group of people to the point where you want to do something about it?
If you answered yes to most of these questions, well, congratulations, you're pregnant!
Just with a actual pregnancy there are side effects and risks involved with sharing your body with another human being.
1. You must watch what you eat and maintain a healthy lifestyle if you are going to produce a dream. You must have enough energy to complete the task.
2. Just as your outer appearance will change and be obvious to those around you, your inner man will change too if you get pregnant with a dream. If your outer man got pregnant, your stomach and body will change. If your inner man got pregnant, your attitude will change.
3. Those same friends you had before you got pregnant, may not be around as much after you give birth. They will not understand why you give so much attention to the bundle of joy that you are now responsible for.
4. The only people who truly understand what you are going through, are those who have pushed out dreams. They will know what is like and the pain they had to endure throughout and during the birthing process. They will understand the sacrifice. Surround yourself with people who have successfully carried and birthed a dream.
So, you're pregnant and the first question the baby daddy asks, though he is partially responsible, is, "Soooo, what are YOU gonna do?"
Imagine, God is your baby daddy and he allows the seed of a dream to be carried in you. Believe or not, he still gives you the option as to how you want to handle the responsibility. You can either:
1. Get an abortion. Kill the dream and forever wonder what life would have been like had the dream had been born. Who will the dream have affected, touched, saved, healed. What contribution could that dream had of made to the world.
2. Adoption. Give the dream to someone else and allow them to nurture and provide for that dream even though you created it.
3. Keep It. You may not know how in the world are you going provide and take care of this life altering dream, but the decision to keep the dream, care for it, and watch it grow before your eyes, will be the biggest joy and rewarding experience ever.
I'm keeping my babies! If anybody wants to ever babysit or buy my babies pampers and food, I am also looking for volunteers and investors. :-)
"Most ideas are stillborn and need the breath of life injected into them through definite plans of immediate action. The time to nurse an idea is at the time of its birth. Every minute it lives gives it a better chance of surviving." -Napoleon Hill, Author or Think and Grow rich
Lisa B.
www.liftedsoul.com
www.speakintothemic.com
www.youtube.com/lisabpoetry
This is a very good comment. I think a goal/dream can take much longer, but any person who only gives six months to a goal and then they give up, shouldn't even attempt it. Things don't happen fast sometimes, unless you're Antoine Dodson. It takes time and dedication. Good article.
ReplyDeleteGreat article! Your analogy is perfect and so true. Too many people give up on their dreams too quickly or neglect to nurture them.
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