The Scenic Route

Have you ever read a book and thought,

I can do that.

Then you try

and you realize

This is harder than it looks.

Seeing others succeed

when you can't even get past the first page

hurts.

Yet you can't help but admire them,

their determination,

their gumption,

their seemingly effortless skill.

You have talent, they said.

You have what it takes.

But what they didn't say was

it takes work. It takes effort.

Talent is the ignition

but work is the fuel.

When they said follow your dreams,

what they forgot to mention

was that your dreams don't take highways.

They take backroads,

mountain passes,

obscure forest trails that lead farther away from home than you've ever been.

But when you stick with your dreams,

you usually get the scenic route.