Sophie just loved books. All her life she had been interested in books, devouring them at every opportunity. Her mother would tell everyone, proudly, that she could never remember a time when Sophie didnt have her head in a book. She loved imagining herself as the heroes and heroines. She loved lying on her bed totally oblivious to time and place. She could be anywhere in the world. Some would say Sophie lived in a fantasy world but for her it was a special place. A place you entered the moment you walked into a book store or library and started to look at the shelves.

Her dream was to write like her heroes and create, gripping and powerful stories. Sophie often dreamt of people queuing up to buy her work.

Needless to say, she progressed easily through school and followed her parents advice and went to University to study English.

Then it happened. She fell in love. She fell in love with song writing. She just loved to write lyrics. She naturally created her own rhythm patterns that touched the heart of people who heard them.

She also found Tony a gifted musician who composed the music to fit her lyrics. Together they could transport the listener to their world. They were a good team.

But when Sophie told her parents that she had decided to write music with Tony rather than teach English. Well: the world fell in.

Sophies mother and father just hit the roof. After all the sacrifices they had made for her. After all the effort they had put in to ensure she went to University. After all the money that had been spent on her education and all she wanted to do was.write songs!

Did she have any idea how many failed. What was the point of a good education if it was all going to be thrown away writing pop songs? What was the point? Surely there was something else she could do? Surely there was another career she could follow? Something more suited to her background. Whatever happened to the thought of her writing books?

But Sophie had found a new dream. The dream of being: a successful song writer. Nothing could replace the feeling she got when she handed the finished song to Tony. Nothing replaced the feeling she got when she heard her words being sung by Tony and his group. Nothing replaced the feeling she got when she heard people singing her lyrics.

She wanted to keep pushing her talent. She was proud of what she had achieved but knew she was capable of more. She knew this was just an extension of her original dream. The dream she had in her bedroom all those years ago was just the start not the end. The dream was the vehicle for further discovery. She knew she had found her true calling. She felt so alive, so comfortable, so in tune with herself. But they couldnt, or didnt want to, see it.

Sophie had the courage to follow her passion. She had worked out that there is more to education than setting yourself up for a career.

For Sophie, university had done its job. It had enabled her to find out what she was passionate about. It had given her the platform for her life. She has found out that passion matters. She has found out that she is happiest following her heart. She has found her niche.

What about you?

Graham and Julie
www.desktop-meditation.com