InTheWeeds

Dreams, What Are You Doing? What Have You Done?

Dreams. Do you have dreams? Not the ones that you have during the night while asleep, but dreams about your life. What is it that you want? What do you want to do? Call them goals, objectives or just dreams. Do you have a list of things you have always wanted to do? If not, you should.

How will you know if you are doing or have done something that is rare, special, valuable, just so out of the ordinary that you may only get one chance in life to do it? If you have had such a list, can you tick off the things that you dreamed of that came true? Actions, activities, places, experiences that have taken place?

What are they, this list of things (for you younger people) and these completed things for those who have been around the block a few times. And if you have done many of the things on your list, what has replaced them? What are your new dreams? Whether you are 15, or 50, or 75 you need to have your list of at least 5 things you want to do.

Without dreams, we are without direction. We don’t know what we want and would not know if an opportunity presented itself, that there was an opportunity. So, what is your list? I am realizing that I have not renewed my list as well as I should have.

After cancer and new physical challenges left over from that illness, I have only now begun to accept that the Good Lord has kept me alive here for a reason and I need to have dreams back on my list.

Just to give you a flavor I will go over some of the things that were on my list, some I have fulfilled and some not.

Number 1 on my list has always been to launch off an aircraft carrier in a fighter jet. I have never done that, don’t think I will be able to at this point, but it is still on my list.

Number two was to spend time in Asia which I always saw as exotic and different and somehow drew my curiosity. This I have done. I have lived in Asia two years. I have been in Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, The Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan and from Changchun to Beijing to Tianjin to Shanghai and several other places in China.

Number three was to participate in military service. I gave four years to Uncle Sam in the US Cavalry. Being in Jimmy Carter’s army was not very smart, but learning from Pop Baumgartner, SFC Buck and many others is an experience that I would not trade for anything. Its not for everyone, but it was good for me.

Number Four was to fly. I have flown in every major commercial airliner that has been built. I spent eight months flying in helicopters, Kiowa’s, Huey's and Cobras.

Number Five was to drive all kinds of mechanical powered vehicles. I have driven jeeps to tanks to 18 wheelers to motorcycles. Add army trucks, tracked personnel carriers, helicopters and a few boats to caterpillar bulldozers and backhoes and I think I have run the gamut I was thinking of.

Number Six was to hunt Elk in the Rockies, wild turkey anywhere I could, and a Dall Ram in Alaska. I have successfully completed the first two, and do not think that I will ever get the chance to finish the third, but its still on the list.

Number Seven was to see a Space Shuttle launch. This one was special as I got invited to watch the launch of STS 77 which was flown by a man I could call my friend, John Casper.

Number Eight was to visit Alaska which my wife and I did in the summer of 2004 and really enjoyed it.

Number Nine was to finish my bachelors degree which I did when I was 39 at the University of Houston at Clear Lake.

Number Ten was to own a Hot Rod, which my wife bought me for our 25th wedding anniversary. It’s a silver CTS-V. Not your traditional hot rod, but for those of you who know this car you will know what I mean. Its hot rod enough for this American guy.

Now, those were and some still are my dreams. What are yours? What are the things you dreamed of but never thought you would actually do, but you have done?

Next post will cover my current list and why..

LivingtheDream.

posted by livingthedream @ 5:43 PM