Since I was a little girl, I always wanted to be a Mermaid. I never told anyone. I didn't HAVE to tell anyone about my dreams to make them vivid. That's sort of the thing with dreams...when you "tell" them there is the danger of losing the magic of it all.
So, I didn't tell anyone I wanted to be a Mermaid. Just like I never told anyone that I wanted to be a Jet Pilot, a Wilderness Explorer, a Merchant Marine, a Sailor, a Private Detective, a Medicine Woman/Tribal Cheif(tess). This would be a more powerful version of the Indian Princess many of my friends probably wanted to be. Nope. Never told anyone. And I've found that all of these things have woven their way into my life in one form or another.
A few months ago I found Weeki Wachee - the home of the Mermaids. At first I thought - "No way!" But, yessiree. While I wove aspects of Mermaid metaphorically into my life, these awesome women showed us metaphor only goes so far.
Sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!
I watched these ladies in action and it occured to me what a powerful message they send out into the world. Live your passion, even if it may not make sense to anyone around you.
Yea, Weeki Wachee can (and has) been discounted as old and kitchy. But there's something profoundly magical and powerful about thumbing your nose at "contemporary" and "politically palatable," and being sexy and frolicking (and getting a paycheck) while you're at it.
The Mermaids at Weeki Wachee send the message that your passions can materialize into a successful endeavor. And young girls can benefit from that message in today's harsh world as they are encouraged to fill roles and shoes of others simply because those roles and shoes happen to be vacant.
I don't think that's a good enough reason to live someone else's dream for you as your own, even if it seems more logical that the budding dream growing inside your own heart. Dreams need to be protected and nurtured until they have time to step into the light. They can be pretty unrecognizeable until they move beyond the fetal stage. But that's when they need to most protection.
So, to all of you girls who want to be a Mermaid, there REALLY IS a place for you!
