In light of the recent Golden Globe speech of Michelle Williams - I am writing this blog to share some personal opinions. Now, I am not one to keep up with the latest Hollywood news and celebrity gossip but if you have social media you've most likely come across Michelle Williams’ acceptance speech in some form. She used the opportunity of winning an award to voice her opinion and encourage women to vote (like men always have had the privilege of) for women's rights, whilst indirectly promoting abortion. She was saying the award was a validation that she made the right choices in the past and she wouldn't be on that stage with that award if she didn't choose her career over her baby (while standing up on the stage pregnant!).
Thankfully, Leah Darrow a Catholic speaker, writer, and former model, expressed her thoughts against Michelle’s argument that babies kill dreams. Leah was in labour with her 5th child at the time! She made her own hashtag #babiesanddreams asking women to share with the world how their babies have actually promoted, empowered and added to their dreams rather than hinder them.
Now, there are many things I find wrong and disturbing about this speech but I'll choose to talk about one aspect. Many people think babies can hinder the achieving of their dreams and success in life. I think that all depends on your definition of success. What I've learned is that success in eternal life may not be the same type of success here on earth. This is something that blew my mind. At times when I've been stressed and anxious about the future and about my career - my perspective has been wrong. Our lives here on earth are in preparation for eternal life, and so eternal success is what I should strive for not earthly success.
Dreaming is important. But it's also important to realise that sometimes things don't turn out the way we hoped or the way we planned. Sometimes our dreams in life change, sometimes we find that we achieve much more than we imagined and dreamed of - because it was perfectly planned by God.
I think too easily do we get caught up in instant happiness, the easiest and most convenient ways of achieving success. But success isn't all that. Our dreams can be achieved for as long as we work hard and allow God to be God in our lives. Babies are not obstacles – instead, we need to think about redefining success. Mothers who have chosen to have their children, who have made sacrifices and those who have worked to achieve their dreams are the strongest. They say if babies and new life don’t fit your dreams, then you aren’t dreaming big enough.
Taking what may be the unconventional road depicts strength and the feminine genius from within. Knowing our worth, our strength, upholding our dignities, loving and respecting our bodies as well as new life is what this world needs. By surrendering to God and following His lead this doesn't mean I am not doing what's best for me or that I am not making choices for myself. It doesn't mean that I sit here and do nothing. No - true success means cooperation with His will. As much as we need to let God be God in our lives we need to also listen as to how we must take action.
True success isn't about an award. An award isn't more important than life. After all, what can earthly success truly give us? We can't take money, any material possessions and especially not an award with us to heaven. What matters is the soul. If we changed our perspectives with the mindset of eternal success our dreams can align.
This was a big lesson I learned the past year, that I should not be pressured by the ways of the world. That true success doesn’t necessarily mean the bigger the career title or the bigger the income. I simply dream to be happy in a career where I can positively impact and help others, to do God’s will and His work.
I'm a firm believer that dreamers who pray, work hard, discern and follow God's will, serve wholeheartedly and love Jesus more will find that everything will fall into its place perfectly and naturally. That dreams can come true without taking away the dignity and lives of others. So, let us dream big, dream of eternal success and let God lead us to eternity.
janz.
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