Years ago, I watched the movie “Phenomenon,” starring John Travolta and Keira Sedgwick. It’s about a man who is blessed with incredible abilities to remember and to figure out complex problems. That’s not important to the part of the movie I want to share with you today.
Keira’s character makes wooden rockers out of branches and twigs, and they aren’t at all comfortable. She tries to tell them at the local general store, but just can’t get them to move. When John’s character starts to fall in love with her, he goes into the store about once a week and purchases a chair. It’s his way of showing he supports her dream of being self-sufficient.
Another man in the movie desires to show his own girlfriend how he feels, and the question is raised, “Do you buy her chairs?” Of course, the question really means, “Do you support her in the things she’s trying to accomplish?”
I’ll leave the movie plot there – you should watch it yourself; it’s really a great film. But I want to discuss the very important reality of supporting your spouse in their dreams.
Perhaps they are making uncomfortable chairs. Perhaps they really have a wonderful idea and they are just struggling to find the right outlet for it. Regardless of the circumstance, are you behind them in their dream, or do you crush their ideas and laugh off their ambition?
We all have dreams. We all have things we want to accomplish more than anything else, and we are most likely to achieve those dreams when we are supported by those we love. Even if our ideas are kind of silly and aren’t reasonable, it’s still fun to dream and hope. But if our loved ones shoot us down every time we bring it up, not only does it squash a dream, but it squashes the relationship.
You don’t have to think an idea is 100% flawless to get behind it. What you do need is to have the love for your partner that will allow you to be in their corner, for good or for ill, whatever comes. Then, if they fail, they still have you, and you can lift them up and cheer them on as they dust themselves off and try again.
Related Blogs:
Movie Review: Gentleman’s Agreement