I have a challenge for you. Write a list of 25 things you dream of doing. They could be things like visiting Paris or owning your first home. Perhaps some of your dreams revolve around relationships. Is it financial matters you dream of? Paying off debt or having a certain amount in savings? Maybe you dream of going on a mission’s trip or starting your own business. The sky is the limit. Dream big or dream small, but start listing them all out.
If you are anything like me, you started this list with enthusiasm and then began running out of ideas before you even got halfway through. This same assignment was given to me as part of an Affirming Potential class I am taking. Is there something about growing older that strips away our ability to dream? Perhaps, it’s a positive sign that I’m blessed and contented and have accomplished much of what I wanted to have in my life.
While there is much to be said about living a life of contentment, I never want to loose my ability to dream. I think it’s a vital part of what makes us human. After all, if we never “shoot for the stars” how can we ever grow and improve? Or conversely, if we never try and fail, how do we develop character and skill?
If I live the “average” life of around 80 years, I’m nearly halfway through my journey. But that also means I have half a life yet to live. What more could I dream of and experience in the next four decades? This is a personally challenging question that will take time and prayer to generate and ultimately pursue. I never want to become stagnant and passive, leaving the dreaming to the younger generations.
Perhaps you find yourself in the “sunset” year of life and have given up on dreaming all together. I would challenge you to reexamine your position. While you may be physically unable to do some bold and daring things, there are always challenges you can pursue. If you need help to accomplish them, great! Perhaps you can ask a child or grandchild to get off their phone and help you pursue a dream that has until now gone unfulfilled. What a blessing to those who will watch you take a bold step, refusing to let life just pass you by!
Friends, let us dream together. It is through dreaming that the world has changed, many times over. From civil rights movements to technological advances, someone’s dreams are what sparked the fire. You never know if your dream might pave the way for change. Even if it doesn’t change the world, it will certainly change you.
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