American Idol represents dreams, new lives | March 11, 2009

I sometimes get a little misty-eyed watching American Idol. I know that sounds goofy, but I have a good reason, honest. I get misty-eyed sometimes when I see someone who has worked so hard and is now getting a chance to follow a life's dream. And in this case, producers often show little vignettes of the contestants' lives so we get to see why these dreams mean so much. We've seen many stories of single parents looking for a better life, youngsters ready to take flight, even spouses singing in memory of their loved ones recently gone.

Just this season, we have Scott MacIntyre, who is blind but who plays the piano with amazing confidence and Lil Rounds, who was a stay-at-home mom and is now chasing the spotlight. We have Danny Gokey, whose wife died shortly before auditions and Michael Sarver, who is hoping his oil-rigging days are over.When I think of things like that and see a singer doing his or her best to make that dream happen, well, yes, it touches me.

That these contestants put themselves out there for rejection, for critique, for hardship is a testament to the dreams in their hearts. Whether you like them or not, you've got to appreciate the spirit of the show: that anyone can take a chance on pursuing a dream. And who knows where that dream will lead!

I always appreciate those who take a chance on their dreams. I'm living my dream of being an author and entrepreneur and creating a bigger vision all the time. But living a dream isn't easy. It takes guts to do it. Maybe that's why I admire those who do. They have made the tough choice to take a chance on themselves.

What about you? How are you coming on your dream? Are you working on it on a daily basis, taking steps to bring it to you? Are you getting right back up after being knocked down, dusting yourself off to give it another shot? Do you see hardships and even rejection as part of the process?

Or do you let tough times -- and even a few bad comments -- convince you your dream isn't worth pursuing?