Today’s Brilliance from Ellen Whitehurst

One of the first movies I can remember resonating with as a small girl was the black and white Christmas classic “Miracle on 34th Street.” I believed right alongside little Natalie Wood that her Christmas wish would come true and that she would get that dream home she’d been praying for each night and day.

In fact, I think that I believed as deeply if not more that if little Natalie’s character could only believe strongly enough that she would get that home and MORE. I believed even when her character faltered. I held the vision AND the belief for her. Because somewhere deep down inside my seven year old self I already understood the enormous, immense and miraculous, magical, manifesting power of belief.

And I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve quoted another line from that film as well. Another concept that this kid totally got! The line sets up Natalie revealing to her smitten neighbor that her cynical, skeptical mother, the object of his desire, had turned the proverbial corner (on 34th Street presumably) and now believes in Santa Claus too. The exact line from the movie is “faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to.”

Exactly! I truly believe in the power of believing. And that movie begs you to believe in believing too! I believe, no, I know that if you believe, really and truly believe, the without a doubt kind of believing, in a hope, a wish, a dream or desire, then NOTHING is impossible.

Belief is all you need. Not luck. Not connections or contacts, money, fortune or fame. Just belief.

Yes, yes, I know all the other axioms that naturally and organically accompany this one: how faith can move a mountain and how love can set you free. But before faith can move that mountain or love can give you wings you have to BELIEVE those things can happen.

If I had only one lesson that I could impart to my son or if this were my last day on Earth I would want to pass along my belief in the nuclear power of believing. Bless the world you live in, trust that incredible power that lies deep within you and then believe, with all your heart and soul in something that makes your spirit sing. Believe in your hopes, your wishes and your dreams. Happiness lies in that belief.

Always, always, always believe in the power inside you. Always, always, always believe in you. You can believe that I do too.