A few years ago I read a Facebook post that grabbed my attention and resonated with me deeply. One of my favorite inspirational people to follow on social media is Patsy Clairmont, she posted this quote by Carl Sandburg:
“There’s an eagle in me that wants to soar. There’s a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud.”
Whew! After reading that I felt I finally had the words to describe what had been going on inside of me all of these years…my inner battle…my daily struggle. Am I going to soar today? Or am I going to wallow?
I have often felt like a walking contradiction…or an oxymoron (pun intended). I consider myself to be an extroverted introvert, an idealistic realist, an optimistic pessimist (the glass is half-full, but what if somebody knocks it over?). I have always been a dreamer with my head in the clouds, but two feet stuck on the ground. I’m a little bit country AND a little bit rock ‘n roll. Okay, okay, I could go on and on but you get the picture.
As I scrolled through the comments on Patsy’s page regarding this famous quote, one in particular stuck with me. A Patsy-follower by the name of Diana Woodward Pintar, typed:
“There’s a hippopotamus in me that wants to soar! Look out below!!!”
Wow! What a picture that painted in my mind. I decided that was how I wanted to live the rest of my life. Watch out world, Soaring Hippo on the loose! It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s……a hippopotamus?
I have always been super-aware of my weaknesses, but recently I’ve made the decision to work on discovering my strengths so I can uncover what it is that I was born to do. I’m getting out of that mud and learning how to become more aerodynamic. I am dreaming big and in pursuit of morphing those dreams into reality.
Life is my flight school.
My desire for this blog is to share my stories, and pass along things that have helped give me feathers. Join me on my journey of teaching my inner hippo to sail through the sky. Grab your aviator goggles and come along with me….Let’s soar!
And, buckle up for turbulence, there’s sure to be a lot of it (that’s the wallowing pessimistic realist in me.)
Nothing has ever been more accurate in describing how I see myself as well. It’s very frustrating. So pleaswy, be as Soaring Hippo and show me how to do the same cuz I am still waiting to learn. I love you.
Yes, Jessi! Come soar with me. 🙂
Beautifully written Bria. Reading about Soaring Hippo makes such perfect sense.
You have always soared as long as I’ve known you!
Can’t wait to read more 🙂