"Dreaming matters and allows you to become that which you aspire to be", this is part of a poem titled "Living Life" by Bonnie L. Mohr.  This poem is a wonderful tribute to not only what consists in living life, it also encapsulates the sage words that we all would want to produce in an explanation to someone who would ever ask us the question, "what is life about"?  I gave a portrait of this poem to my sister over the holidays and although it temporarily is housed with me, every time I pass by it I re-read a few words or a different sentence.  It has given me much to think about and re-affirm as I go about my busy days.  What I also enjoy about this portrait is that it is anchored by an image of strong and majestic looking tree, that appears to stand out from the others around it.  I have long been a proponent of dreaming and ensuring that young children continue to dream out loud, for as adults we need to encourage them that anything is possible.  Not too long ago we celebrated the day dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King, who famously transcended and captured the pulse of a nation with what his dream was.  I remember being outside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. a couple of years ago and standing at the dedicated engraved brick where he once made this historic speech.  I thought about how he as an individual dreamed out loud and led a movement that altered history.  In my quiet moments looking out towards the other wonderful monuments of that great city, I became mesmerized by the thought that anyone with a dream, hard work and strong conviction can achieve what they set out to do.  Perhaps we are not all called to revolutionize history or create a transformation of magnificent proportions.  However, we are very capable of altering our own lives, so that we can live out the remainder of our days in such a harmonious state, that we achieve the illusive inner peace that we all seek.  As with the tree example in the poem, it all begins with one seed that gets watered and nurtured until branches start sprouting and leaves eventually decorate the growing organism until it reaches out to the world to display its natural beauty.  We too can add things to our lives that hydrate us with positive emotions or nurture ourselves by being surrounded by caring people that value who we are.  With each passing year, our roots grow deeper as we become even more grounded in who we are and what we are meant to do.  Strong winds and storms come and go, yet a tree always glistens afterwards with a renewed sense of purpose.  We can learn a lot from a tree as we too have weathered these downpours that sometimes stop us in our tracks.  Therefore, continue to dream and encourage it from everyone that is part of your inner circle.  Aspire to grow each day as a regal tree does and greet the world around you with infinite determination that you are a living example of what dreams are made of.