Dreaming of a Golden Ticket

Charlie Bucket is my hero.

You remember him . . . the kindhearted, scrawny boy from Roald Dahl’s famous book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Okay, yeah, if you only watched the original movie, you may think it’s called Willy Wonka, right? Well, sorry, that’s incorrect. I should know, I read the book five times as a child 🙂 

A recent blog prompt from a Facebook group, Fantasy Writers and Readers, asked what literary character has influenced my life (either in childhood or as an adult), and why. It didn’t take much reflecting on favorite stories to discover my answer. And it’s not because I read Dahl’s book so many times. And it’s not because it’s about chocolate (though that may be a legitimate, subliminal reason). What moved me most about Charlie’s journey was the beautiful lure of possibility.

Charlie had next to nothing, though he tried to be grateful for everything. His family huddled together in their shack, two sets of grandparents sharing one bed while the winter wind slinked through cracks in the dilapidated walls. It didn’t take much to make the boy happy. Just . . . chocolate. I remember how he savored the Willy Wonka chocolate bar he received for his birthday, taking tiny nibbles to make it last. (As a lover and devourer of chocolate I felt both his joy and his pain—I can seriously remember lamenting that fruits and vegetables needed to be eaten over chocolate and saltwater taffy. Yes, taffy).

When Charlie found money in the snow and was able to buy a candy bar and flat-out inhale it, I exulted in his brief freedom to indulge—okay, I’ll admit there’s more to the chocolate connection than I realized when I set out to write this post. But what really lit a fire inside my restless imagination was the possibility that his life could irrevocably change if he could only find that golden ticket!

And then . . . he did. He found it! Every time I read the story, even though I knew the outcome, I was there. Right. There. Waiting with bated breath as Charlie peeled back the wrapper and hoped to glimpse the metallic gleam that would change his life forever.

When Charlie Bucket found the ticket, I believed that life held such hidden possibilities for me as well. No, I didn’t live in a shack. And yes, I could eat chocolate just about any time I wanted. But . . .

But I’ve always possessed dreams that were larger than the life I lived. Charlie’s discovery confirmed what I felt in my bones. Something amazing could happen to me too. And one day, I knew, it would.

As an adult with a few years of ‘reality’ under my belt, my idea of just how this amazing event would transpire has changed over the years. I realized it would be less dramatic. Less instantaneously life-altering. And it would really be a series of small things, rather than one, revolutionary event. But I believed it. Have watched as faith has become sight more than once. And I continue to anticipate it.

I relish possibility.

What exactly is my golden ticket? It’s not a vision I’ve pinpointed in black and white. And, no, it’s not eating chocolate instead of vegetables without any weight gain and perfect health. I’m a tad more realistic at this point 😉 (But a girl can dream. Or write fantasy).

With the approach of The Tethered World launching in February, I feel like I’m inching towards an elusive moment that will unveil a glimmer of gold. Not that I’m expecting to shoot to the top of the New York Times Best Seller list or rake in the accolades and awards. More like an opportunity to check off a very large box on my Bucket List (or maybe I should call it my Charlie Bucket List, LOL). One that grew out of love for stories worth reading again and again. Like the authors of the tales that I loved, I wanted to live on through my characters. Wanted to write something that would say, “Heather was here and she was’t content to dream. By God’s grace, she dared to turn dreams into opportunities.”

And maybe, if I told the tale well enough, others would catch the vision too. They would be transported away from their average lives and brought to a place filled with wonders, dangers, and yes . . . possibilities.

This publishing milestone will actually be one in a series of blessings presented to me by a benevolent Heavenly Father. Though it’s hard to explain, there are things I’ve always, intrinsically known and believed that the Lord planned for me. A happy

marriage (26 years and counting), a great relationship with my kids (all four are sweet friends that bring us much joy), and a golden ticket (which I now take as defining moments that allow me to use the gifts that God has entrusted . . . book writing or otherwise).

A quote from my all-time favorite author, C.S. Lewis sums it up best. “You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.” Truly! Through the eyes of faith we can see that life is full of golden opportunities and, of course . . . golden tickets!

How about you? Have any of your childhood dreams come to fruition? Are there important opportunities looming on your horizon? Do you recognize God’s hand shaping your life past, present, and future? Are there books and/or characters that have made a difference in your life? Please share!