When I write, I like to do so in a way that it’s as if I’m speaking to a dear friend over a cappuccino in a quaint, local coffee shop. In reality, I have no idea whose eyeballs are actually reading these words but it feels slightly more natural to express my heart through the lens of two friends casually talking over coffee.
The Truth about a Dream.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about dreams. Not the kind we have when we go to bed at night but rather, the ones tucked away in our hearts.
I’m not sure when dreams became a bad thing, but I’ve noticed that people don’t really like to talk about them especially the big, audacious ones. I think over time, the word “dreams” has stood as an expression of a far-fetched idea that never had a chance to come to fruition.
Maybe it’s because we talk about dreams without any plan to achieve them. If I had to speculate, I think that dreams and the ideas associated with them turned negative when we failed to form a plan of action. It is easy to have a dream; it is much more work to develop goals that get you there.
Our Dreams Reflect our Truest Selves.
I have a friend who is unbelievably passionate about the medical field. Seriously, you will never meet anyone more excited about stitches or watching open heart surgery than she is. On the flip side, if you ask me to look at your paper cut, I will likely wiggle with discomfort and ask it be covered up immediately.
I love listening to her talk about viruses and the importance of getting a flu shot because when she speaks, her entire face lights up. She is so stinkin’ passionate that there is no doubt in my mind she was put on this earth to pursue it.
One day while drinking coffee at a Parisian cafe, she pulled out a massive spreadsheet on her phone that documented, in great detail, the next five or so years of her life. I was in awe. The page had every class to enroll in, exam to pass, and dollar value associated with the expense. It was apparent that the idea of med school wasn’t just a distant thought that sounded like a good idea from afar. This girl was going all in. Her commitment to what she wanted long-term assured me that she would keep going until there was a diploma in her hand.
The same goes for my three roommates that study Education. If I ever have kids, there is no one I would rather have teaching my children. As we speak, they are tracing 26 perfectly shaped pine cones for tomorrow’s science lesson. The devotion that these women give to their classroom kiddos is unprecedented.
Run your race. Whatever that looks like to you, pursue it with unwavering confidence. Design a plan because in the words of my favorite author, “Hope is not a strategy”.
A Call to Action.
Your dream- your passion- is whatever makes you happy. It is that simple. You do not have to explain it to anyone. Stop complicating the matter. Do you like to bake? Fantastic. Are you a massive comic book fan? Awesome. Do you love making pottery? Good for you. Start doing more of those things. Who cares if it doesn’t have a monetary value attached to it. When did we decide that if we couldn’t get paid for what we like to do that we shouldn’t ever do it?
I’m only 22 years old. I have a lot of life ahead of me, God willing. Regardless of the years to come, I believe there is one thing that will never change. I have always had an intense interest in finding and following what lights my heart on fire. And I am naturally attracted to people that do the same. From the depths of my heart, I pray that when I am 80 years old and swaying in my rocker, I look back on a life full of these things. Struggles and disappointments are a given; there is no point in trying to pray them away. A life lived boldly– that is a choice.
“….I beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.”
Ephesians 4:1