Ordinary and his Father sat together quietly. His Father seemed to be remembering something, too. After a while he asked, "When you woke up to your Big Dream, Son, did you happen to find.........a feather?"

Ordinary was shocked. "How did you know?" he asked.

"A long time ago, I woke up to a Dream, too," his Father said. "And it came with a long white feather. It was a wonderful Dream. I kept the feather on my windowsill while I waited for a chance to pursue it. I waited and waited. But it never seemed possible. One day I noticed the feather had turned to dust."

Of all the sad words Ordinary had ever heard, these were the saddest.

Before he left that night, his Father hugged him. "Don't make the same mistake I did, Son," he said. "You don't have to stay a Nobody. You can be a Dreamer!"

************************************************************

Time passed. Ordinary worked hard on his plan to begin his Dream. He made hard choices. He made difficult changes. He even made big sacrifices.

Finally, one morning, he was ready.

Ordinary ran all the way to his Usual Job, his Dream pounding hard in his chest. As soon as he saw Best Friend, Ordinary blurted out the news: "That Big Dream I told you about --- I've decided to pursue it!"

Best Friend looked concerned. "You know as well as I do that Nobodies who pursue their Dreams leave Familiar," he said. "They set off like fools into the Unknown, in search of a place where----"

"Yes, yes, I know, " Ordinary broke in, "and I can't wait to get started!"

"But, Ordinary, that journey is anything but sensible or safe. Why leave Familiar? It's so comfortable here. And besides, you've always live here."

"I've thought about all that, too," said Ordinary, "But my big Dream is too important and too wonderful to miss."

Best Friend shook his head. "So, you're going to become a Dreamer." he said.

"I am a Dreamer!" answered Ordinary. "Today I'm going to tell my boss that I'm leaving my Usual Job. Tomorrow I will begin my journey. Hey, Best Friend," added Ordinary eagerly, "you can have my recliner and my box!"

And with that, Ordinary walked away, humming a tune that he'd never heard before.


*************************************************************

Ordinary Leaves His Comfort Zone


The next morning, Ordinary woke up at the usual time. But instead of reporting to his Usual Job, he packed his suitcase with the usual stuff. Then he added his journal and a bottle of ink. Just before he closed the latch, he carefully placed the long white feather inside.

Soon, Ordinary was walking away from the comfortable center of Familiar, where almost every Nobody lived. He was heading toward the Border, where almost no Nobodies ever went.

Ordinary had never dared to walk this way before. But, like every Nobody, he knew that the farter you walked from the center of Familiar, the less familiar things became. He also knew that most Nobodies who tried to leave the Comfort Zone of Familiar became so uncomfortable, they turned around and went home. Some were so glad to be back, they sat in their recliner for days, waiting for nothing to happen and sighing with relief.

But, Ordinary told himself he was different from most Nobodies. He would pursue his Dream no matter what. Brimming with anticipation, Ordinary whistled his new tune while he walked and dreamed about the Great Things he would accomplish. Life never seemed so promising.

************************************************************


Ordinary hadn't gone far, however, when he no longer felt like whistling. He couldn't say why, but he just wasn't in the mood anymore. Then, as he walked farther, he began to feel edgy. The scenery looked different. The leaves on the trees looked leafy in a different way.

Now when Ordinary thought about his Dream, it looked different, too. For the first time, he saw how pursuing it could cause him alot of discomfort. He would have to do unfamiliar things in unfamiliar places. And he wouldn't have is box to watch.

Then he had an even more disturbing thought: To do what he most loved, he would have to do what he most dreaded!

Ordinary's mood quickly went from edgy to anxious. His steps began to slow. And he began to have big doubts about his Big Dream. What had he been thinking? He didn't have enough talent or skill to succeed at his Dream. He was clearly unable to accomplish Great Things. What if he failed right in front of other Nobodies?

Worse, even if he could do the Dream, he was clearly Unworthy. Any Nobody could see he didn't deserve to live his Dream. He was just Ordinary, after all. Maybe the Dream Giver had meant to give the Dream to some other Nobody more noble than him?

And now, each step was harder to take than the last. His anxiety grew into fear. Then up ahead he saw a sign. It read:


Leaving the Comfort Zone of Familiar --- Entering Border Land

Now Ordinary felt sheer terror. Sweat poured off his forehead. He could hardly breathe. He could hardly think.

Then, just as he came to the sign, Ordinary hit an invisible Wall of Fear.

He stopped, unable to take one more step.

He dropped his suitcase and sat on it.

Should he turn around? he wondered. Or should he try to find a way to go on?

Time passed.

Then he heard these words, Why are you stopping?

Ordinary recognized the Dream Giver. "I think I want to go back home, " he said weakly, "I'm not the right Nobody to go after such a Big Dream."

Yes you are, said the Dream Giver. I made you to do this

"But, I don't think I can do this," he said.

Yes, you can. And I will be with you. I will help you.


****************************************************************


Ordinary stayed where he was. He watched an unfamiliar bug crawl across the toe of his shoe. Strange birds flew by overhead. After awhile, he stood and looked longingly toward the Unknown. Somewhere out there was his Big Dream. But getting there seemed way too hard.

Then he looked longingly back toward Familiar. He fondly remembered all its comforts --- his Usual Job, his Best Friend, his recliner, his box. There was something wonderful about nothing happing.

Ordinary picked up his suitcase and decided to take one step in that direction, just to see what it felt like.

It felt better. Righ away, his breathing came easier. So, he took another step --- just to see what that step would feel like.

It felt even better.

He went on. With every step back toward the middle of Familiar, Ordinary grew more comfortable. But he quickly noticed he was also growing sad again. And he knew why. With each step he took, he was leaving his Big Dream farther behind.

Then he heard the Dream Giver again. Why are you going back? he asked. Ordinary stopped. "Because I am afraid! Leaving Familiear feels too scary and too risky," he said.

Yes it does.

"But if I was supposed to do this Big Dream," he exclaimed, "then I'm sure I wouldn't feel so afraid!"

Yes, you would, said the Dream Giver. Every Nobody does.