Good humor has an element of truth to it. Really good humor stems from tragedy. (Think about Lucy endlessly pulling the football away from Charlie Brown.) Check out this article from this week’s Onion:
Area Man Achieves Your Dream
CHARLOTTE, NC—After almost two decades of dreaming on your part, 34-year-old Stephen Hochenko achieved your goal of opening up a small bookstore and café last Thursday, coincidentally in the exact location you had planned to open yours.
“This proves that no matter what your dreams are, someone out there can achieve them if they just do a little homework, save their money, and believe in themselves,” said a satisfied Hochenko as he arranged tables and chairs for a Monday night wine tasting and reading featuring acclaimed author Neil Gaiman. “I’m happier than you can even imagine or will probably ever experience yourself.” (Read the full article.)
Funny? Yes.
True? You bet. (Everyone has had a moment when they said, “Hey, I thought of that years ago!”)
Tragic? Sadly, yes. Almost everyone I know has a few big dreams deep down in their heart. They lay buried for one reason or another (only you know what your reasons are.) One of the things that spurred me on to chase this crazy dream of mine was a conversation I had with myself shortly after graduating college. I came to the conclusion that I didn’t want to wake up some morning in the future, sixty years old, wondering why in the heck I didn’t go after my dreams. The fear and pain of regret ended up being worse than any fear or uncomfortability I’d experience along the way.
It hasn’t always been easy (see here and here for some tales), but at least I don’t have to wake up to the morning paper announcing that an area man has achieved my dream. So dream big, and get busy chasing them.
“I didn’t want to wake up some morning in the future, sixty years old, wondering why in the heck I didn’t go after my dreams.” — boy does that hit home!
The flip side to the problem is being so busy chasing your dream that you forget to notice you are living it.
One of the things I appreciate most about your quest to cure adultitis is your commitment to enjoying the journey. Reading your blog and talking with you, I realize both you and Kim have such an appreciation for life — it is cool to be near.
Thanks!
Your are too kind, Eliz. You are right, it doesn’t do much good to chase your dreams when you don’t enjoy the journey along the way. Thanks for sharing.
Enjoying the journey along the way is what makes having dreams so wonderful. I’ve seen many people achieve their dreams only to become depressed and bored after doing so. Why? I think having the dream, a goal, a destination is sometimes more rewarding than actually achieving it. It gives us something to strive for, even if we don’t always cross the finish line.
Then again, I don’t think I’d be bored after winning a lottery…but thats just me!
Guy~
Good point, Guy! I guess that’s a good argument to having another dream waiting in the wings for when the first one comes true…