Carrie Fisher

Carrie Fisher

(tribute inspired by this amazing actress)

Who do we ask permission to follow our dreams?

Is there someone in charge of the stars that light our galaxies?

No, that fire is inside of us.

It's waiting for us to realize its shy, welcoming existence.

Waiting for the day we accept our own ability and dare to ignite.

That is the day where we stop letting the world drown us in its shallow water

and start swimming out to sea.

In the end, then, it becomes a quest for oneself.  

What is your purpose in life?  

What have you lost in the depths of your own identity, and when will you find it again?

It is waiting for you to find it.

But you will not find the answer in the empty words of these seven continents.

The world will tell you it isn't safe to ride a shooting star into the deep space of your heart

and let it envelop you.

They tell you not to let the ocean sweep you away -

But they forget to mention that they're drowning you too.

Compared to the fear this world tries to instill within you, your oceans are tame.

But at the same time, your waters are the most deep, fierce bodies you could ever drown in.

I think that, in this life, we get to choose what drowns us.

Maybe you don't yet know how to swim,

but stepping out into the waters you've always longed for?

It's not as deadly as the world would like you to think.  

The real danger is on the shore, where you risk drowning

in fear

in regret

that you never washed your soul in courage and discovered that you might just float out there.

The real danger is forfeiting your chance to choose

and defaulting to a mindless life.

What good is a head above water  

if underneath the waves, that head isn't connected to anything?

The real danger is letting them convince you that water isn't supposed to be wet.

They will tell you that

you're supposed to go through life's oceans without ever falling and getting drenched.

No.

This goes beyond fantasy - even science says your feet will get wet.

Stop.

Let the waves carry you to freedom

Set your eyes on the burning horizon and let the future give you a new hope

for the dreams you've carried so long.

You yourself are the stars and when you realize this,

your sky will be brighter than ever before

and not even the shifting tides can change that.