Does everyone's dream have to be something spectacular? Like climbing Everest? Or becoming a pro athlete? Or being the next brilliant female entreprenuer?In the last few years there's been a barrage of books and such about "finding and living your dream." I don't really know what my dream is exactly. Where do you find one?
A once very influential person in my life wrote in my graduation card, "To whom much has been given, much will be expected." I've never found those words inspiring, and I kind of wish they'd never been written to me. They leave me feeling like I have some kind of debt to work off that I never asked for in the first place.
When I worked at Starbucks a long time ago, my boss asked me what I wanted out of my life. My answer was, "I really just want to be happy." I remember she looked at me like I was kind of weird.
People say, "Find what you love and do it."
What if what you love isn't really something you do? Not a career? Not a hobby?
A friend at my church listened to me talk about not really having an "ambition." He said, "Well, maybe your ambition is to work at being balanced in your life."
Sounds like a boring ambition, compared to others I've admired, but I'll take it. It feels good. It might not make a chapter in The Purpose Driven Life (which I've never read, which is maybe why I have this struggle, but I just can't bring myself to read it.... arg), but that's alright. You can't always rely on books to tell you how to live.
People say, "Find what you love and do it."
What if what you love isn't really something you do? Not a career? Not a hobby?
A friend at my church listened to me talk about not really having an "ambition." He said, "Well, maybe your ambition is to work at being balanced in your life."
Sounds like a boring ambition, compared to others I've admired, but I'll take it. It feels good. It might not make a chapter in The Purpose Driven Life (which I've never read, which is maybe why I have this struggle, but I just can't bring myself to read it.... arg), but that's alright. You can't always rely on books to tell you how to live.
Lester Burnahm seemed pretty happy at the end of "American Beauty," shortly before he died. Not that I'm going to start smoking pot and get a job at Mr. Smileys (though at times it does seem tempting...) But he seemed to know something about letting go.
Posts
5 comments:
Carla,
I can relate with what you've written here. I've thought about this and I've wondered if sometimes I'm living out other people's dreams or maybe I'm just following the pattern of life our culture has to offer.
Someone told you, "To whom much has been given, much will be expected." If this is true, then should we be doing what we love, or whatever we're good at? If I'm a mediocre carpenter when I have the gifts to be an excellent teacher, is my life being "wasted"? (for lack of a better word) I don't know the answer, but it's something I've thought a lot about.
I think you and I might be the only two Christians who haven't read The Purpose Driven Life. Stay strong... hahaha.
I'm sorry I can't tell you where to find dreams... fortune cookies? ...speaking of which, I always thought that would be a great job (writing fortunes for cookies)... If you happen to find a good place to get dreams let me know (maybe they offer a deal, like two for one?).
Maybe it's not that you don't have dreams, but that your dreams can't be explained explicitly as something to be acquired (ex. money, fame, power, success). Maybe your ambition is for things that are more subtle (ex. enjoying the little things in life). I'm like that. I'd rather have a life full of simple pleasures, than complicated riches.
Wow, this is way too long... look what you've done... hehehe... If you want your fortune cookie here you go... http://www.new-year.co.uk/chinese/cookie.cfm
Help!! I was trying to make up one of these "blog" things, but can't figure out how to even set up an account, for some reason it keeps making me enter in a new password. So I need your assistance since you told me to create a blog.
Hey Lee- thanks for your thoughts (I didn't read this before I sent you my last emial...:)) I will check out my "fortune". It's always good to know that we are not alone in the things we encounter in life. The question you pose about whether to do what you love or what you're good at is a true "pickle". Maybe it comes down to needing the same inner guidance you mentioned in your comment about my "Stuff" post. And I'm sure I will stay strong in avoiding the P.D.L.- you too! :)
Heather dear! How fun to see a comment from you, and it really kind of made me laugh. :) I'm trying to remember how I made my account... I think I went to the top of my friend's web page and clicked on "Create my own blog" or something. Eventually I made it to the Google homepage or something and went to blogger... Hm. Let me do some research and I'll email you. :) Love you sista! I'll be so excited to read your blog. :)
So I was listening to a song as I was driveing home late last night and it just realy seemed to fit the day and oddly enough fits what your talking about in your latest post.
The song is intitled you have to learn to live with who you are. Its a great song and even though the title would seem to say it all it kind of goes in a diff direction then you would assume. The artist explains that you have to learn to live with who you are, but who you are is controlled by the choices we make day in and day out. So if we choose to head down a new path or simply change the way we travel on our current path then in change we end up altering who we are.
I'm not sure if I would agree with the whole idea or not but I knwo that some of that is true. I just think must people try to choose what they want to be or be like then force them self to be happy with in that form. The better way to truly be happy is to find happiness in the moment and then work from there.
I just got home from San Fran and on the hour drive home I thought about the people that I had met and spoke with and so many of them just feel let down after moving to the city to live there dreams and they simply found out that there dreams were only that, dreams.
So I say enjoy your dreams keep them there at arms reach and smile knowing that happiness is chooseing to enjoy where you are knowing that its a choice you have made not a circumstance.
Yes Carla it is a ben folds song
faithagain.com
Post a Comment