Postcards

Yup. I was right. We were having too much fun with my mom and dad-in-law in town this weekend to worry about blogging, checking email, or even working. Thus, I am behind. With a capital B and that rhymes with T and that stands for trouble. Thankfully, I seem to work well under pressure.

Anyway, I had one of those wonderful, life-is-so-beautiful moments on Friday, and though I should be writing I had to quickly post...

We were at a science museum with the kids and decided to take in the IMax show. It was called Amazing Caves, and though it didn't sound very interesting, we thought the boys would like the experience anyway. So we bought a big bag of requisite movie-theater buttery popcorn, tucked ourselves into over sized seats, and marveled at the four-story screen. When the film began, my five-year-old was sitting next to me peering between crisscrossed fingers with his knees pulled up to his chest. But by the mid-point, he was leaning forward, mouth agape, and eyes so wide I could see the movie reflected in them. He caught me staring at him in mommy-awe and whispered, "I think I'm going to be a cave man when I grow up." At my startled look he added, "Don't worry, I'll send postcards."

I find it adorable that my son wants to be a cave man (his term for cave explorers--I think the correct term is spelunkers?), even if it conjures up a mixed bag of images for me including overgrown beards from the Geico commercials and bright colored carabiners. But, as far as I'm concerned, even more important than the specific object of his current obsession is the fact that my son continues to dream. Last week he was going to be a football player, a fireman, and a cowboy. If we try to gently prod him one way or another, he digs in his heels, going so far as to call pastoring and writing (what his daddy and mommy do) "too boring for me." How cute is that?

At any rate, I blinked tears through the rest of the movie. The whole IMax experience and my son's reaction made me choke up with the realization of all we are and all the potential we hold. Our dreams are so boundless when we're young. We imagine sending postcards home from the edge of whatever reality we hope to construct for ourselves, and we can almost taste the stamp as we lick it. And then we grow up. Dreams change. Life gets in the way. And instead of exploring a cave in far-flung Malaysia, we're enclosed by the walls of a cubicle or a classroom or a kitchen. I don't mean to imply that those things are bad or that those of us who find our dreams changing are quitters or lack vision. But no matter where life takes us, I do think we have to keep dreaming.

At least once a year Aaron and I ask each other the question: What is your life's dream and what are you doing to accomplish it? In the ten years we've been married, the answer to that question has changed more times than I can remember. But it's a beautiful question to ask all the same. Several years ago my dream was to publish a book. I still can't believe that dream came true. And yet, I'm not done... It's taking me a while to articulate the new goals and dreams for my life, but that's okay, too. They're still there. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, it may be too personal to write, but I'm going to ask all the same: What's your life's dream and what are you doing to accomplish it?