Skip to main content

Living a Dream


Some kids dream of being firefighters. Some dream of getting married. Others still dream of saving the world.

One of my childhood dreams was to travel the world and more specifically, to visit Egypt. It was apparent from an early age that faraway people and places were fascinating to me. I would anxiously await the latest edition of National Geographic in the mail and remember pouring over the images, dreaming about what life would be like in any one of the many distant lands always featured. My mother would often say that it seemed so fitting that Christopher Columbus and I share a birthday.

When I was old enough to travel on my own, the world became my limitless canvas of exploration, and over the years I have visited many wonderful places. Now, I’m excited to say that Egypt will soon be included on that list. 

Those who don't 'get it' ask, "why Egypt?" Well, why not? Smart-assery aside, as a youngster nothing seemed more exotic to me. It came to represent mystic, beauty and adventure like absolutely no other place. I pondered the mystery of the Pyramids, the bustle of the markets, the majesty of the Nile...

In hindsight, it’s incredible to consider how much these dreams reveal of who we are and the direction we’ll take in life. If we’re fortunate, we’re able to live out our childhood dreams. I can’t wait to live this one.

What were some of your dreams?
Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 8, 2012 at 12:31 PM

    Many of us have DREAMS of travel. One of mine is to spend two-or three weeks in Paris, France. I would board in a little 'pension' and explore on foot or by transit.

    As a French Literature major at McGill in the sixties, our 'professeur' felt it his duty to share with the class all the details about Paris from his own perspective. He lectured for weeks about history, monuments to greatness, architecture and design, geography old and new, wars and rebellions, language and food. He insisted we each keep a notebook with the facts, inclluding maps and his own ratings of each location in Paris, so we would know what to see and what to avoid.

    Almost fifty years later, I still have that notebook and would take it with me to explore his view, and create my own. He was never short on opinions either; like the one he shared with me about my atrocious (his words) french-canadian accent! A few years after I successfully completed my degree, I heard that, since Canada's Quebec had begun to stand stronger, he was forced to return to France jobless. Perhaps he imparted his knowledge to another colonial somewhere else.

    Regardless I've held onto the notebook, promising myself a trip to Paris to fulfill the DREAM of seeing the sights he described so long ago.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 simple joys

Recently "Chewbacca Mom" reminded the world that life is about the "simple joys". Think about it - more of  life is about the everyday moments than the sexy milestones. Though I've written a lot here about gratitude, this got me reflecting yet again on the simple joys I am thankful for. This is my list right now, though in no way complete.
1. Snuggling under a cozy duvet 2. That first sip of freshly brewed coffee in the morning 3. Hugging my partner tightly 4. Smiling to strangers and getting smiles back 5. Taking in a beautiful skyline view 6. Mastering a new skill that was unknown to me 7. Being awakened by the chirping birds outside my window each morning 8. Watching a scary movie and jumping with fright (this is a guilty pleasure, I'll admit) 9. Grocery shopping with my partner (yes I know, weird but true - we are talking simple!) 10. Camping adventures (s'mores included ;))
What are your simple joys?
Post a Comment
Read more

I'm not Thinking about It

Meditation. Eastern philosophers have long touted its great benefits. Westerners attempt it with varying levels of success.
According to Wikipedia, meditation is “any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit.”
1 comment
Read more

Finding what speaks to you

For some time, my partner and I have been talking about devoting time together to a local cause we believe in. Fuelled by our own sense of gratitude and desire to make a small difference, we considered a few options. And though there are so many wonderful causes to choose from, nothing seemed a perfect match.  That is until we found The Furniture Bank.
The Furniture Bank is a Canadian non-profit dedicated to providing gently used household furnishings to families in need. With my new but growing background in design, and my partner's handyman skills, this was the cause we had been searching for.  Volunteers can assist clients with furniture selection, prepare furniture for delivery, provide marketing or administrative support, and/or repair furniture. If you'd like to say hello, come by and you'll find us in the furniture workshop giving pieces a second life.
So, if you're also considering volunteering for a cause, start by asking yourself what's important to you. Po…
Post a Comment
Read more