More on chasing those dreams

There was a lady in her 70s, a CM at DAK, who talked to my younger daughters today. She apologized for leading my children astray, but she told them to NEVER pass up an opportunity. She said she had a list and she's done every last thing on it, from climbing a volcano to learning to fly to going on a real safari, she's done everything, but one...watch planes take off from an aircraft carrier. She told them she had the chance to see it, but did the responsible thing and went to work that day when a bunch of "young kids" had called off. She said it was her only regret and if there were ever a time you have to choose between a dream and being responsible, take the dream.

While I don't buy into her philosophy quite as wholeheartedly, I certainly was on her same wavelength. Don't postpone your joy (or your dreams). It wasn't long ago that I decided I should have to ignore my dreams in favor of his of my husband's. I rummaged around, found my dream, dusted it off, and made it happen by going back to school. Making dreams happen won't be the same for everyone, some people might just need a kick in the pants while others may need a complete paradigm shift, but I will never have to look back and wonder "what if" about this particular dream anymore.

One of my to-do things was to live in Alaska. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to live in Alaska. When my oldest DDs were young, I had the opportunity to go to a teaching job fair in Anchorage and was privileged to be chosen to interview for 2 districts (it was VERY competitive). After the interviews and spending a week there, that "dream" changed for me. Alaska wasn't as romantic as it had seemed (2 trips out per year and a Ski-Doo!) The big story, though, was that I WENT. Even though it was a dream-dead-end, I never have to ask the what-if. Dreams will change, and that's OK, too.