Dreams

I've been thinking lately about dreams-- the dreams that we have for our lives. Dreams of what we will do and who we will be. We all see people around us for whom it seems all of their dreams have come true. We see amazing athletes and Olympians. We know wildly successful business entrepreneurs. There are people in life who set out to do something big and never give up until they succeed. People that inspire and amaze.

 I've thought a lot lately about my own dreams and I've realized  something kind of strange--

I don't really have any.

And I've started to wonder-- What does this mean? What does this say about me?

I've always felt bad when I see these types of things because I can never quite relate:

Especially this one: 

I've never been able to put my finger on why, but when people talk like this, I just don't feel it. I don't see what the hoopla is all about.

Alan, on the other hand, is a BIG dreamer. He loves to dream about the future and how great it can be and the successes he can have. He loves dreaming about all the possibilities. I have never felt like that and I wonder why. Sure, I knew I wanted to graduate from college, have a temple marriage, and have children, all of which I am extremely grateful for. And I do think about traveling, but generally I am much more comfortable working with what I feel is well within reach. Well within reality.

Maybe I need to leave my comfort zone more. Maybe I'm lacking in the imagination department. Maybe it's harder to dream in this stage of life with young children at home. Maybe I'm too pessimistic. Maybe I'm afraid of failure. I don't know for sure. 

But I do know I resonate much more with this:

“I hope you will not try to set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve. I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know. If you do so, you will witness miracles come to pass.” 

-Gordon B. Hinckley.

And this: 

"People often tell you 'live your dream.' But I think the better advice is to be faithful. Treat people well, even when you don't feel like it. Tell the truth, even when it's complicated. Admit your mistakes, even when they make you look bad. In other words, don't save your integrity for the big moments. Practice it at all times so you actually have some when the big moments come." --Sean Lowe (from the Bachelor-- funny, I know!)

Honestly, my biggest dream, if you could even call it that, is to get through this life without messing things up too badly. To get out of bed every day and do my best. To hold to the rod and never let go. That's just me. And hopefully I take some cool pictures along the way.