about this part of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29.
. . .
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him with friends posess’d
Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope
With what I most enjoy contented least.
. . .
A young man told me about his dream for a business. Then he told me why it wouldn’t happen. I said, “Tell me about the problems that are in your way.”
He did.
I offered a solution to the biggest one.
He argued for the problem — explaining why no solution could solve it. In the course of the argument, he pointed to others who were already living his dream. I reminded him that they were not offering nearly as much as he was. Still he kept moving the conversation away from his value to what and where others had “more” to offer. Everyone else was worth more.
A mere two weeks ago, the young man was filled with the potential of the new year. He was boundless power. Now he compared himself to everyone and found them all higher, bigger, better. I said that if he was determined to be lacking, trying to be someone else was a great way to get there.
Even Shakespeare had his moments of thinking he didn’t measure up. I have to think we all do. But Shakespeare held onto his dream, and we know his name.
No rule says only certain folks get to make their dreams come true.
Why do we wish to be someone else? Do we think another life would be easier?
