Dream Chasing,  Sheryl's Pearls Blog,  This Thing Called Life

Ready or Not

My wardrobe is ready. For what, you ask? Just about anything.

For approximately 90 percent of all occasions at which my presence might be requested, I could likely rummage through my closet and find something appropriate and cute to wear. Yep, I’m that girl. The one who buys a fabulous dress that catches her eye while out shoe shopping – because no person knows the day nor the hour when a Future Boo will invite me to a semi-formal event taking place that very evening. So my wardrobe stays ready.

But what about the other stuff? The things that more seriously impact my future? If opportunity knocked for me in the areas of writing, career, finances, family, love (beyond dressing for dates), would I be ready? Have I prepared for the once-in-a-lifetime chances for which I’ve hoped and prayed?

Yes and no. At some point or another, I have put considerable time and effort into prepping every area of my life. Laid a foundation, did some heavy lifting, broke a sweat, shed a few tears, sealed some prayers in my heart. I was getting ready.

Yet, as I was recently reminded, there is a difference between “getting” ready and “staying” ready.

I used to randomly practice poems in my spare time. In the shower, while I cooked, as I flat ironed my hair, whatever, whenever, wherever. I’d run through poems periodically just to ensure they were all committed to memory. Then if I ever needed to recite one, there was no scramble to get ready. Lately, however, I only practice poems when I know I have to perform. These crash courses make it harder to pull something together last-minute. A couple of recent performance possibilities have not panned out, but truthfully, I was somewhat relieved that I didn’t have to re-learn my work, or ‘get’ ready all over again.

Sometimes the longer life has us camped out in its waiting rooms, the less we focus on preparation. We ‘get’ ready and then put our feet up and relax. But the world never stops spinning. Being ready last month does not mean you’ll automatically be prepared tomorrow.

Perhaps ‘ready’ is not a status one achieves, but rather a perpetual state of motion. Maybe you never actually arrive at it, but push toward your best self until one day the dream you’ve been chasing turns around and welcomes you with open arms.

What big breaks are you hoping for during this new year or even this lifetime? Prepare yourself. Then stay ready.

SheryLeigh is a woman who loves God, words, and people. She is currently living and loving as an author, blogger, poet, and spoken word artist in the Washington, D.C., area. A communicator by education and trade, SheryLeigh holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Howard University and a Master of Arts in Management from Webster University.