She had a secret dream and she let it go...

"She had a secret dream and she let it go."

Disney Pixar's Kiel Murray said those words regarding a character in the new movie I was recently introduced to, and I can't stop thinking about it.

There are many of us with secret dreams. Dreams that we hold within our hearts and keep to ourselves - we keep them secret. Perhaps it's a wild, crazy dream that we don't think anyone will understand. Perhaps it's a dream so special to us at such a core level that we don't want to share it with the world, as though it will lose its power if we speak it out loud. Perhaps it's something trivial, but you're afraid that people will laugh upon hearing it...

I've had secret dreams over the years. Since childhood, actually.

I remember laying in bed, furiously writing in my journals (much as I am doing at this very moment), secretly wishing that I could be a writer someday. I wanted to say things that made people think, inspired them, made the sad and lonely girls of the world know that they weren't alone.

Now, things didn't really happen as I dreamt, but don't think for a moment that the irony of my current career is lost on me.

Chase your secret dreams. Hold them close to your heart and never let them go.

I have another secret dream, and while it has yet to come true in 39 years (yes, I am dating myself), I'll never let it go. Because life is more fun when you're still reaching for the stars with hope in your heart.