Dream With Me

I’m currently working on a book.  I have tons of books that are waiting to come out of me, but its taken me a long time to decide what my first book will be.  I’ve been writing all my life.  The beauty in that, is that my book isn’t comprised of fresh words from my heart and head, but a mixture of old and new.  Much of my book has been written over the course of my life - I now just have to piece it together. 

As I have combed through my earlier work, I have discovered some new truths about myself.  

I’m 39 years old and I still don’t know “what I want to be when I grow up.”  That has always troubled me because I feel like that answer should be an easy one.  I know who I am and how and why I tick so why doesn’t that easily translate to what is ahead?  I grapple with future goals and how I want to leave my mark on the world.

I think its a “D: All of the above” situation and while I have known a few of the answers D comprises, it wasn’t until today that something clicked with that final piece.  

A: I have a lot of talents so narrowing down is a challenge - knew that. 

B: I love things that are outside of the box so finding my workspace isn’t as easily defined - knew that.  

What I didn’t know surprised me.

C: I couldn’t dream of what I wanted to do because my dream was to escape the crazy train life and just be normal.  That isn’t to say I wanted to be like everyone else, I just wanted to be someone who didn’t have to fear daily life.

I was a girl who lived scary circumstances and that reality replaced future dreams of career with future dreams of normalcy. 

When I look at option C, I realize, I’ve already passed that test and attained that goal.  Life isn’t perfect and it isn’t always pretty.  There may not be a literal white picket fence in my front yard, but I live in a nice home, with a husband who loves me and three wonderful kids who share the other rooms of the house.  I have a relationship with an amazing God, am supported by a great community and there is always food on the table (usually enough to share).   I have what I dreamed to one day have.  

So its time for a new dream. Its time to explore the possibilities.  

What about you? What are your dreams?  What's getting in the way of those dreams?  I don’t know if you are old enough to know who Mama Cass is, but I can close my eyes and hear her voice singing, “Dream a little dream of me..”  

Dream (and sing) with me. Be sure to share them with me - I want to hear them!!!  

Why Dream?

Last year, talking with teens on a local high school campus I had a rather enlightening conversation. I was talking to a girl, who will remain nameless, who told me she didn't dream about the future because she was sure to be disappointed. What good would dreaming do when she would just get hurt in the end? The thing is, she has a point. Why dream? At the time, I was experiencing life in the realm of broken dreams as I watched my dreams shatter as they hit the ground. I pondered her position and see many people live out this position, even if they don't express it. Hope is one of the threads that holds our pieces together. Its the fuel in our car that keeps us going down the road. We don't always see our dreams come true, but pushing through helps transform us to became something amazing. We may also see our dreams come true. I have an almost 4 month old son that is proof that we can dream even when life would say stop. I hope that today's youth will learn to dream and hope and be open to the possibility and be able to fail and learn to pick up the pieces when dreams don't come true. As Mama Cass would say, "Dream a little dream of me, na na na na na na na, na, na, na, na na na na....." Keep the dream the alive.