Wilma's mother, a steadfast voice of possibility, believed in another outcome; that her daughter WOULD walk again. And she did everything she could to make certain it would happen. Very often the physical therapy Wilma endured was painful. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, Wilma held to her dream to be like other children. Even with the pain of physical therapy multiple times each day and long stretches of time with no visible change in her condition, Wilma chose, with the support of her mother, to believe in her dream.

Wilma's story is a dramatic one. She went from no hope of ever walking again, to walking with a brace at eight years and by the age of twelve, she ditched the brace altogether and began to enjoy her dream of living like the other kids. She took up basketball in school and in tenth grade was spotted by the track and field coach at Tennessee State. The rest is history... Olympic history! In 1960 in Rome, she took home three gold track and field medals; making Wilma the first American woman to do so in a single Olympic Games.

Here is what stood out to me about Wilma's story...

Even with a strong belief, even certitude in something and tireless, even painful, action toward it, there may be little or NO tangible evidence that change is occurring. Yikes! In our world of instant gratification, THAT is an adjustment! "...little or NO tangible evidence that change is occurring." For me, especially in the last 18 months, this is very familiar! Is it familiar to you?

What is your dream? Whatever it is, I encourage you to keep it close. Take bold action toward it multiple times each day... EVERY day! Yep, even on days it feels painful... maybe even more so on those days! And bless those well intended "voices of reason" in your life who say you cannot achieve  it... they are welcome to their opinion ... while you keep your eye on your desire. They, especially, remind us to surround ourselves with people who DO believe in the possibility of our dreams! And while days, weeks, months, even years may pass without "proof" manifesting in our lives... remember Wilma Rudolph.  Dreams DO come true... and THEN SOME!

Rev Harriet Hawkins shares her spiritual evolution which began with a mysical experience in childhood on her blog... Christ Becoming.