"I WANT TO RIDE A ELEPHANT." Do you have a dream? Did you ever reach for your dream?

As a child I would read and read a book on every subject.

My imagination exploded and everyday I would be somebody different.

One day I was a Lion Tamer at the circus cracking a long whip. The next day I was a Fireman who rescued babies from burning buildings. After that, I was a Ballerina twirling and whirling around the dance floor in pink toe shoes. The day after that, I was an Astronaut on a rocket ship to the moon and the next day, I heard myself say, I WANT TO RIDE A ELEPHANT.

My parents, my relatives and friends all assured me I could do and be anything I wanted to be when I grew up.

As I grew older I forgot about all the things I had thought up as a child except for one. "I WANT TO RIDE A ELEPHANT."

When I told my parents this astonishing information, they laughed and they gave me several reasons why I could not ride on an elephant:

(1) You need to think about college and your future.

(2) This is something you cant do so; therefore, why try.

(3) Where are you going to find an elephant to ride?

(4) You can not rent an elephant like you can rent a car or horse.

(5) It is impossible. Forget it grow up.

I heard a door slam shut in my head. Too many negatives and why bother following an impossible dream. To me that was the end of this particular dream.

I graduated from college and married my college sweet heart and had my fabulous family of a son and daughter. I was busy being a mom, working full time, and taking care of my home and family.

One day, I heard this nagging thought explode in my head "I WANT TO RIDE A ELEPHANT." Once again I heard a door slam shut in my head. Bang. Bang. Bang. I told myself I was a responsible adult and did not have time for all this nonsense.

When I was in my forties I made a new friend. My new friend asked me one day out of the clear blue skies this fantastic question.

Do you have a dream? Everybody should have a dream. What is yours?

Stunned into silence I once again heard a door slam shut in my head. Bang. Bang. Bang. "I, I, I," stuttered and could not finish my sentence. I finally muttered, Yes I do have a dream, I WANT TO RIDE A ELEPHANT.

My new friend said the most astonishing thing to me. What have you done to accomplish this dream?

I just looked at her in shock and astonishment. I was hearing something positive about my dream for the very first time in my life. This person was not being negative and telling me all the reasons I could not achieve my dream but was asking me what I have done to achieve my dream.

Nothing," I managed to mutter. "I have been told my entire life it was impossible to ride an elephant. So I never tried. I hung my head in shame and humiliation.

My new friend gave me a sad look turned her back and walked away.

I sat a minute or two thinking about what she had just said to me. I heard a loud CRACK! The door that had been sealed shut all these years flung wide open.

Suddenly, I could see myself as a child telling my parents my dream. I WANT TO RIDE A ELEPHANT.

Now I had an idea. Not only an idea but I had a positive idea. Why couldnt I explore the positive options of me riding on the back of an elephant?

My first question to myself was where would I find an elephant? Two places popped into my head immediately, the zoo or a circus. I would start with the zoo. We had a wonderful zoo right here in my own town and I know from taking my children to the zoo they have several elephants.

Now I had to make the time to find out the contact information. Who would let me step across the doorway and help me full fill my lifelong dream?

As you can well understand this information was not that easy to obtain. All I did was sneak some phone calls in during my business hours. Who would know?

I finally was connected to a man who actually was the elephants trainer and keeper at my local zoo. I could not believe my ears. My heart hammered in my throat.

I found out the second Thursday morning of every month the zoo gave elephant rides to the children and they would make an exception for an adult.

That designated Thursday morning I jumped out of bed, hopped into my clothes and zoomed on down the freeway. I was going to be the first person that morning to ride an elephant.

I was the first person in line for the elephant ride and the elephant keeper remembered our telephone call. He shook my hand and was thrilled I was full filling my dream on his elephant.

My hands shook as I grabbed the elephants saddle, my knees felt like weak spaghetti but I pulled myself up onto the back of this beautiful, huge elephant and my heart fluttered and stopped.

The children lined up behind me laughing and pointing at the strange adult woman riding the elephant designated for children.

I did not care I was flying high, on top of the world and I did not want my elephant ride to ever end.

I had the elephant keeper take a picture of me way up high on top of this marvelous, beautiful animal and I have kept it on the wall of my bedroom ever since.

You can achieve your dream. Do not listen to the negativism bouncing off the walls around you. Whatever your dream is reach out and grab it and hold on to it with both hands. Never let it go.

That was my dream.

What is yours?

My sister and I actually rode on the back of an elephant when we were children. I had completely forgotten about this incident in our lives until after I had written this article.

I would love to hear from you. Just leave a comment on this article or any of my other articles.

Copyright 2006 Linda Meckler