The Way of Dreams

About Ronan Murray

I have tried and failed at so many dreams over these past forty years I have considered making a profession of it but as I have taken the time to look over the sequence of dreams I have pursued I find something very interesting. Each dream that I tried to fulfil even when I had made a wrong choice I could see that with each attempt whether I succeeded or failed was leading me to the ultimate dream I am now living. I am a Graphic Designer of publications and a Small Press Publisher of hand-crafted Poetry Books and Audio CDs and it was in 2001 when I set my mind to that task. The road has not been easy to say the least and though my dreams are defined through the writing of poetry graphic design and self-publishing the journey of discovery in fulfilling that 'First Best Destiny' for each of us is much the same. We are still Challenged to find it we still Seek Inspiration to express it we still have Obstacles to overcome Regret and Failure to cope with and ultimately our 'Returnings' where we persist in our attempt. Below is the list of my less than straight forward journeys toward finding and living the dream for which I was intended. My hope is that you also will find that dream and in so doing live the very unique purpose that only you can live. The world is waiting for your contribution your flower for humanity's garden. And if I can ask you one question about your dream... if not now when? for the sooner you find it the sooner you begin. When I was a teenager I wrote poetry and played the drums then up into my early twenties my dream was defined in the form of pursuing a craft and ultimately to become a sculptor so I created a business in the basement of my family home making candles and woodcraft while making plans to attend a wood carving school. Then having failed at studying sculpture I made a fatal decision and entered the Drafting Department of the College to learn how to draw designs which drastically changed the course of my life as I pursued the wrong professions as a Forest Ranger Cartographer Land Surveyor and Civil Draftsman. And it was here I remained as a Civil Draftsman for the next fifteen years until the profession compelled me to advance my skills into computers where I was now given a new title of Engineering CAD Technician. And for those fifteen years all I could do with every moment of my spare time was to try to be something else. I had fallen far off the path of discovering my 'First Best Destiny' and I was trying desperately to fill that void. My dream had now become a 'haunting'. At night I had regular nightmares of being locked away in prison and the odd thing about all the prison nightmares were the cell doors were usually open or unlocked or a way of escape was always right at hand but I would never seem to avail of the opportunity for escape. I lived a duality everyday with the dream tormenting me every step of the way. During the years of Civil Drafting to Engineering CAD Technician I tried to escape the profession through study research and applying myself in a host of professions as a Technical Illustrator Fine Artist Painter Writer Poet Playwright Screenwriter Author Narrator Drummer Classical Guitarist and Sound Recording Engineer. Finally to escape the profession and hopefully raise enough money to become anything else than a CAD Technician I abandoned my career to work as a deckhand on a Commercial Fishing boat where I failed miserably. And then with great hope to learn languages to preserve indigenous cultures and translate ancient bardic manuscripts I entered the University to study Linguistics but failed there also due to lack of funds and a rejected financial aid application. And here at the bottom of all my efforts was my destiny staring me in the face because it was the 'one thing' left in the room and ironically it was the one thing I began with so naturally as a teenager so long ago and so I chose...Poetry and all else I do is for that one purpose my 'First Best Destiny'. I invite you into an intimate and personal world; the world of my deepest dreams my places of hope but also my failures regrets and 'returnings' that have defined my journey for purpose and perhaps my ultimate destiny is being lived right now in writing you this book so that perhaps through my experiences both good and bad that you will be encouraged to find and live your own dream to get down right uncomfortable in the pursuit of it because the reward for both you and the world we live in is far worth the effort. I wish you all success in the discovery of your gift.