DREAMS--BLOG OFF FOR BREAST CANCER

--To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe--

Think back to when you were a kid. What kind of dreams did you have? What were all the things you wanted for your future? How many times did your dreams change? That is the beauty of being a child. You have nothing but dreams and hopes for the future. There is nothing to convince you that you can't achieve any of those things. As kids we have nothing but time to sit around and day dream about all the things that could be. I wish we all had the innocence of children. Try telling a kid that they can't be an astronaut or a doctor. The purity and innocence of their hearts and minds tells them they can, and there is no telling them any different. Imagine if as adults we could think the same way, no matter what. I suppose as we get older we still have those dreams, the only difference I would gather is simply the fact that as we get older we have the knowledge to be able to separate realistic dreams from the ones we know are just a little too out there. Take being an astronaut for example. If I had dreamt of one day riding in a space shuttle when I was 10, there would have been no convincing me otherwise. Now, I would kill my own dream in a matter of seconds by reminding myself you couldn't pay me enough to strap me inside a small rocket and throttle me into space at almost inhuman speeds. See, I am able to separate dreams from insanity. In all seriousness though, we really should take a lesson from the kids in our lives and in the world in general. We should try and have a little more of their passion and ability to dream with no limitations. One dream that I had my entire childhood and even now was to become a veterinarian. It was all I ever talked about, it was the only thing I ever wanted to do. I remember the day I got my childhood cat Sparky. I was 7 years old and he was rescued from a neighbours step in a rainstorm. He was tiny, just a baby and I convinced my parents to let me bring him home. I was convinced that day that it was the start for me and that this small little kitten would be the key to realizing my dreams. As I got older I still wanted it, but doing the work to get there became less and less important to me. By the time I was in high school I was more concerned with hanging out with my friends than studying. But it was still my dream. I don't regret not working harder at certain things back then because my life took a different path and and I am okay with that. Aside from being dreaming of being a veterinarian, for as long as I can remember I have dreamt of being a writer. When I was a kid I can remember spending hours each day writing stories. When I would have a project at school that involved writing stories I could hardly wait to get started. I would get out my pencil and paper and start to write. My excitement would rise with each new thought and idea that I scribbled down onto the paper before me. Soon enough I would find myself daydreaming about one day writing full length novels. I would dream of the feelings of joy I would have as I finished one book and began another. The funny thing is, when I was growing up and would write stories I could hardly wait to show people what I had written. My eyes would light up as I watched them read each word of my stories. I would smile when I saw them smile and I would be proud that something I had written and worked so hard on had put a smile on their faces. As an adult, my confidence in such things has wavered a little and I have found myself more guarded. Too often I have asked my husband the question, "but what if they don't like it?" Why would anyone else want to read what I write? I have realized, however, that while I want people to enjoy reading the things I write, I love it regardless. Regardless of who reads it and who does or doesn't like it, it is still my dream and nobody can take that away from me. Confidence and believing in yourself in my opinion is the first step in realizing your dreams.

--Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning--

Being a part of this blog off has done wonders for encouragement in this area. I love to write and perhaps this has given me that little kick in the rear I have needed for a long time. While the type of writing I enjoy has changed as I have gotten older, the dream of writing is still the same.

I still have dreams. I still dream of one day writing a book about my mum and the experiences I have learned from her and in her death. I dream of running and owning my own dog rescue and boarding kennels. I have many dreams and some of them I will realize someday and some I won't, and I am okay with that. Now that I am older my dreams and desires for my life have changed a bit. All the things that once seemed so important to my happiness and success in this life I no longer dream of. My dreams and hopes now are of a much more simpler variety. I dream and hope for health and love for my family. I dream of having my own children and raising them in the gorgeous mountain state of Colorado with Chris. I dream of the futures of my future children, for who they will become and the places they will go. Most of all I dream and look forward to growing old with the man I have chosen to spend my life with. It is those dreams that I want to come true, the rest is just icing on the cake.

--A man's dreams are an index to his greatness--

This is a post for the Blog Off for Breast Cancer. Feel free to click on any of the links on the right to check out the other blogs involved. Also, if you'd like to make a donation to Courtney, please click on the banner above.