When your dreams just don't fit like they used to

Did you ever sit in class or at home and dream about your future?  Maybe it was about your perfect job, what you'd look like, or what you'd be famous for.  It may have been about being recognized for your accomplishments, meeting your idol, or your wedding day.  You may have waited in anticipation for that day that your dreams came true.  And then they didn't...

What do you do when your dreams just don't fit you anymore?

For me, it was sitting in Mrs. Day's OAC Canadian History class or her OAC Law class.  I used to sketch out a pretty farm house in a quiet town and where I'd be by 35.  I imagined a loving husband and 4 great kids (2 boys, 2 girls).  I even had their names picked out: Riley, James, Elizabeth, and Sarah.  I didn't think much about my career other than to wonder if I'd be a stay-at-home mom, or novelist.  Either way, in my dream, I was happily married and a mother.

Now, at halfway through the year to 35, my life looks nothing like the dream I continue to cling to.  While I am a published author, it's not a fictional story.  I'm single, living in a city apartment and childless.  My old dream has as much of a chance as fitting me now as my old semi-formal dress does. 

So where does one go to find a new dream?  One has to consider how expensive and long-lasting the dream is.  Does it give support where it's needed and will it stand the test of time?  Could it get tarnished or thrown in the back of the closet when trends change?  Looking for a new dream is just about as difficult or more as finding that perfect pair of jeans.  You know, the pair that makes your butt look good, doesn't gap at the waist, and doesn't need hemming?

Not all of us can wear the hip hugging and low riding jeans of our youth, but it doesn't mean we give up wearing jeans altogether.  I haven't given up on the idea of having a husband and family...it just won't happen the way I wanted it to.  Looking for a new dream has given me the chance to reflect on where I've been and where I'll go...and some of that is pretty exciting indeed!

Just because your old dreams don't fit anymore, doesn't mean you give up on dreaming altogether.