Dream until your dreams come true!

I mentioned in my first post about it being time to chase my own dreams.  My good friend Kay said she wanted to know what those dreams are!  That got me thinking…

I’ve had many dreams in my life.  Some more practical than others!  However, I think it is very healthy to dream.  It gives you something to aim for, or an area to specialize in.  My oldest daughter has a saying on her bedroom wall, “Dream until your dream comes true.”  A few days after we put this up she informed me that the saying on her wall was all wrong.  She said it should say, “Work until your dream comes true.”  She’s right!  No dream comes true without a little work.  So here are a few of my “dreams” – some that I’ve worked for, others that were just…dreams. 

I’ve always wanted to be an Olympic track athlete.  Yes, I know some of you are chuckling right now.  I am totally NOT in the best shape of my life!  I blame it on all those snacks I hid and then inhaled behind my kid’s backs!  But once, long ago, in a galaxy far away, I used to love to run.  Maybe not quite as much as Forest Gump, but still…I loved to run.  I remember going out to run for fun when I was as young as seven or eight.  I remember taking pride in being the fastest girl on the playground.  I remember living for field day when my speed would not only WOW the whole school, but also win me tons of cheesy cheap blue ribbons.  I freely admit that I was never a distance runner…I was a sprinter.  (Yes, more laughter from the peanut gallery.)  Sadly, this is one of those dreams that I know will never come true.  But I do live this dream vicariously through the amazing men and women athletes from team USA every four years.  I’ve accepted that and let it go!

I also had great plans to be president of the United States of America when I grew up.  I was always interested in politics and government.  History was constantly my favorite subject.  I loved learning about leaders from the past and how they made positive differences.  My principal at Chaparral Elementary school in New Mexico was confident I’d be the first women President and encouraged this dream.  I attend a government camp as a teen and return two summers as a counselor.  I was heading to the white house FOR SURE!  Then I realized how horrible politics really is.  I saw people’s reputations getting smeared and scandal rocking politics on all levels.  And sadly, I realized, I didn’t want my name on a Presidential ballot.  I’ve accepted this and let it go!

I haven’t let all my dreams go.  One day I want to be a published children’s author.  From the moment I could write, I’ve loved it!  I especially love creative writing.  I even won a PTA writing contest in the fifth grade and made it to the national level!  (Yes, I was just that close to meeting President Regan!)  But for many years, while I was in high school and college creative writing seemed to take a back burner to all the writing I was doing for school.  It wasn’t until my kids were born that I picked up a pen and spiral notebook and started writing again.  I even went so far as to send letter to some literary agents before my last baby was born.  I still have every rejection I got.  (One day when I’m the J.K. Rowling of the picture book world, I want to write those people back so they know what they missed!)  I got lots of no thank you’s, many no responses, and NOT A SINGLE “yes we are interested”!  This dream is still alive.  I still love to write and keep a notebook full of poems and stories.  When an agent finally comes around, I’ll be ready!  I’m holding on to this dream!

Not all my dreams have gone unreached or cast by the way side.  My greatest dream and desire has always been to be a wife and mother.  The fulfillment and daily realization of this “dream come true” brings me some of the greatest joy in my life.  I have a wonderful hubby who works hard to provide for us and is the spiritual leader of our home.  I have three beautiful and really decent kids who love me and really do try to do what is right.  So despite the fact that I will never earn a gold medal or even make an Olympic team…despite the fact that I will never have return address labels with 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, DC on them…despite the fact that I remain an unpublished writer…I am pretty happy with life and will continue to dream work until my dreams come true!