Don't let your dreams be dreams....

"She's just waiting for the summertime, when the weather's fine

She could hitch a ride out of town

And so far away from that low down, good for nothing, mistake making fool

With excuses like, baby, that was a long time ago

But that's just a euphemism if you want the truth he was out of control

But a short times a long time when your mind just won't let it go."

Does anyone else feel like they are the only person that doesn't have it together?

That you're kind of just faking everything in the hopes that one day it will all click?

I do.

I feel so incredibly lost.

I feel like everyone else has these great long-term plans that

have been festering in their lives since they were small children,

and were asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

My answer was different every single time someone asked me that.

Except for a few years when I really wanted to be a vet.

And then I didn't.

And I did my school and I went to college, and everyone is still

asking me, "What do you want to do with your life?"

"What are your plans for the future?"

"Are you going to be a teacher?"

"Where do you want to live when you leave home?"

Hey there folks.

I don't know.

I don't have any deep seated dreams for myself.

Until I finished school, my entire existence revolved around making it through the week.

Just one more test, one more class.

And then I graduated and that ended.

And I felt the absence of any dreams.

Shouldn't I have some?

I mean, at this point, anything would be great.

Anything to give me an answer to that barrage of questions,

anything that makes me seem less prepared for my life as an adult.

And I searched, and profiled, and job-compatibility tested.

And yet, nothing.

The stupid test said an office job would suit me.

I work in an office right now though,

and I can't imagine doing it long-term.

I don't have any stellar talents, any athletic greatness that would 

set me apart or give me definition from the crowd of average people.

So what do I do?

This isn't a rhetorical question people.

I don't have the answer.

This isn't one of those blog posts where I set out and then answer my own

question, and the entire first half was really just written in retrospect.

Those are cool though.

Basically the only thing I have going for me is being done with college.

Yay me.

Don't belittle college, sorry guys.

If you are in college, don't quit!

Even if you have no idea what you will do when you are done, don't quit.

I'll go all "Facing the Giants" on you, just don't quit.

So, you and me.

We got this.

We'll figure this out somehow.

Just keep going. You won't stumble over anything great

if you sit at home and wonder about what your life holds.

At that rate, you're looking at Netflix binge records, and stale air.

"Well summer came along and then it was gone and so was she

Not from him because he followed her just to let her know

A dream's a dream

And all this living's so much harder than it seems

But don't let your dreams be dreams

You know this living's not so hard as it seems

Don't let your dreams just be dreams...."

-Jack Johnson, Dreams be Dream

moments.....

Okay, so you know those moments that you know are super important?

The ones that you hold on to forever?

Those are awesome.

What about those moments that make you panic inside?

The socially awkward ones?

"Do I push or pull, or, yep, that says pull let's try that now, and hey the door opens!"

Those are the worst.

Oh, how about those moments that make you cringe??

"Yes, I was an impertinent child, thank you ma'am 

for reminding me, I hear your voice condescending me every

time I'm too loud."

Cringe and blush.

Haha, what about the hilarious moments that you wouldn't trade for anything?

"Let's try sledding on our jackets! This will totally work!"

It doesn't. But we tried it several times. Faceplant every time.

Those missed moments?

"Oh that would have been such a good comeback!"

This one is a plague.

Those other missed moments?

The ones that really do plague you?

"If only...."

I think everyone has a few.

Try not to sweat them loves.

We have to come to terms with the fact that we can't reach into the past and 

touch those moments. As much as we'd like to hold those moments,

press them into something different, to change them,

to say something, to listen, to move,

to stay still, to give up, or to gather courage, we can't.

The only moments we can touch are the ones that are coming.

They are racing towards us. Hurling themselves at us.

It's hard to know which ones will affect us later.

There's no way to anticipate the effect of a single, simple action.

People are unpredictable, circumstances are unpredictable,

and therefore, out moments are unpredictable.

Don't fight that though. 

Keep yourself from tripping over the oppressive bundles of moments from

the past, keep looking up. Don't be afraid to open up those

bundles either. Remind yourself how far you've come from

that moment. And press forward, ever forward.

Don't let the past keep you from touching the

moments of the present, because you never know

just who's present you might be touching.

Make it positive.

Let peace and love and hope leave fingerprints

all over the coming moments....

Gaining Some Perspective

Perspective.

If you are a Pixar fan you should be thinking about 

Ratatouille right now. And if you aren't,

educate yourself people. 

The Pixar films are awesome. 

I'll wait here, go watch UP.

I'm not actually waiting but whatever, come back when you're done.

Or not, you know, I'm still going to write this....

So, perspective.

I picked some up last weekend.

I was hanging out with a girl friend of mine, and we just

opened to each other about our childhood struggles and 

humorous happenings. "Darn that kid that stole my candy 

on field day in first grade" kind of thing. 

And as we were talking we had a "Freaky Friday" moment.

Without the Chinese food and whole actual switching thing.

See, unless you knew me as a kid, you probably

don't know a whole ton about me, or about the 

"defining moments" in my life that helped make me who I am.

I don't think people are born being who they will be when 

they are 10, 15 or 20. Things happen, things

that change our perspectives. 

But as we were talking, this friend of mine said something that really struck me,

"Wow, I wish I had been raised like you, with younger siblings 

and more responsibility. I wanted to be a tomgirl growing up,

but my dad was always really protective and wouldn't let me

do anything risky."

After I got over my shock, I told her that I 

would have loved to trade places with her, 

to have been comfortable with being more feminine, and not mowing

the yard and lifting weights when I was 13, not 

changing tires in the snow, or climbing under the car to grease the joints. 

But then I thought about it some more.

And I realize now that that wasn't true.

I wouldn't want it to be different.

I like doing those things now.

I like knowing that if I get in a jam, I'm not going to

have to sit on my hands until a guy comes to change my flat.

I like being able to give my opinions on things like

practical conceal carry positions, and my favorite knife brands. 

I like being able to do things for myself, to be 

able to take care of situations that freak other women out.

It's that whole "the more you know, the more you don't know" thing.

 So, I'm not the girliest girl out there.

But I don't have a problem with being a girl that knows 

how to do things that others don't, or things that are "guy-ish".

I guess what I'm saying is, instead of wishing you were like

someone else, be yourself. Learn to like yourself,

and don't change for other people.

You're awesome girls. 

And hey guys, if you're reading this you're cool too.