‘Always dream the impossible, reach for the improbable’

Adam Fast - Director of Photography

Adam Fast – Director of Photography

When I was a kid, I had quite an imagination. I could turn dang near anything into some kind of airplane, spaceship or any other vehicle with a lot of power.

Things have changed as I’ve grown up. I think a lot more logically and practically now, which is good in some situations and bad in others. I had many dreams when I was young: astronaut, pilot, executive, tycoon. My goal in elementary school was to be in the encyclopedia when I grew up. I haven’t abandoned that goal, and never will, but for the time being it’s sitting on the shelf waiting for its time.

I have had quite a journey through life, going through one dream to another, only to move on again. But while I’m trying to figure out my own dreams I have to be conscious about what is actually my dream and what someone else is just dreaming for me. In my case, I can track this evolution of dreams pretty easily.

In elementary school I wanted to be an astronaut or a pilot. Sometimes it varied into something closely related, but it usually stuck to one of those two things.

In middle school I hovered between two things – the computer geek that I was rapidly becoming and some type of mechanics. I’m not a huge fan of getting my hands or clothes dirty so I didn’t fully dive into the mechanical world. I’ve had my fair share of working on various lawnmowers. By “working on,” I mean in most cases disassembling to the point that it takes serious help to get something working again. The computer stage lasted until sophomore year in high school.

I segued into the rock-star phase for part of my sophomore year; it didn’t last long, for good reason. Eesh.

I then fell back into the computer phase and stayed there until probably a year ago.

I love computers – everything about them. Hardware, software, I like it all. Different Linux distros, BSD distros, Windows (not so much) and most recently Mac OS X. I’ve done software and programming for several years now; it’s what pays the bills. I definitely enjoy it, too. I was even voted the “most likely to be the next Bill Gates” in high school. Most everyone talked about how rich I was going to be. But I never really cared. I was in it for the love of the field. (And as a side note, I’ve never wanted to be anything like the previously mentioned – no way.)

But as I’ve grown up and begun to understand myself more fully, a new true love has emerged – photography, videography, and the visual arts. On top of this, I feel a calling to be involved in the ministry, but praise God it’s not preaching or anything too public (I still get too nervous with an audience). I’m called to ministry in a technical aspect.

It may sound strange, but it works.

My favorite movies of all time are the Back to the Future trilogy. Not because they were beautifully filmed, had great special effects or a plot line that kept you glued to your seat and the screen, but because the message behind them is so powerful. No matter how unpopular or crazy you are thought to be, you can accomplish things with some hard work.

The big point I’m trying to make here is that everyone else’s dreams for you will be different than your own. Sure, you can follow what others dream for you and not be creative, but is that living? Be your own person. Always dream the impossible and reach for the improbable.