My brother and sister-in-law just took off for Los Angeles in pursuit of their dreams. Clay had just finished getting a Master’s degree in Music Composition from the University of Miami and they are eager to get started with whatever life has in store for them. Los Angeles is the hub of media and entertainment, and that is where the best pop culture composers work. So, they’re off. They left both sets of parents, 3 brothers, 2 sisters-in-law, and 3 neices and nephews, in pursuit of a dream.
I was talking with them while they were here for a week or so between Miami and Los Angeles, and it seemed like they believed their decision to be superior to everyone else’s. I guess that’s good since you want to believe that what you are doing is right, but their insistence on following their dreams leaves the impression that everyone else has simply given up on their dreams and settled for less. That prompted me to think about my dreams, and where they would take me if I followed them.
My conclusion is that my dreams wouldn’t take me anywhere. I’m living my dream. My dream is made up of many facets, I really want to retire early and not have to worry about making money. I want to be able to spend time with my kids and get involved in politics. I want a big house. I want to write books and debate theology. I look around and there’s no better place to do all of those things than right here. That doesn’t mean I couldn’t make more money somewhere else. I could make more money in Northern California, for example, but I have many dreams and goals. When I look at all of the goals I have in life, I’m at the perfect place to accomplish all of them.
What my brother has done in moving to California is placed his desire for a hugely successful career as his number one priority dream. That’s fine, but it’s no better than my dreams and my decisions. They don’t have a monopoly on dream fulfillment, despite the impression they give. Having Aunts and Uncles and Cousins and Grandparents for our children, right here, is something that many people envy. That’s a decision we’ve made, a dream that we’ve fulfilled.
I’m definitely excited for Clay and Angie. They are blazing new trails and doing things that I’ve never done. They will be successful. I feel sorry for them too though. In their quest for greatness they will miss many of life’s most precious moments, and those moments can never be recovered.
Good luck and Godspeed guys. We’ll visit you in LA before too long. Clay, I’ll be looking for your name on the Billboard charts or at the end of the next Will Smith blockbuster movie. You’ve got the talent … do your thing Bro’.