Tangled Dreams

trying to eat the phone

I've been having a rough time lately, and it just seems like everything is going wrong. Besides Walker being sick, I've been stressed out over exams, my financial situation and a myriad of other things that just pile on top of each other.

Last night I watched the Disney movie Tangled. Let me just say now that I am a huge Disney fan. I mean really, do I need to even justify that statement?

Anyway, one of the big themes of the movie was following your dreams and what happens once you succeed.

I find lately that my dreams have also been "tangled". I've been so caught up in thinking that all my dreams are about to be crushed that I forget that my ultimate dream, my oldest dream - to own a horse - has already come true. I mean how many people can say that they've seen one of their dreams come true, especially a dream which has been the subject of so many birthday wishes and Christmas lists for as long as I can remember.

Lately I'm ashamed to say that I've been thinking about that dream in a different capacity, one that perverts the simplicity of it. I've been upset because I know that I can't take lessons, participate in clinics, be all that I can be as though whatever goal I accomplish will never be good enough. In my opinion, this is just me being selfish with my dream. It's ok to want more but it's important to be thankful for what you have.

we're both smiling in this one

I am thankful for my parents. They are kind and they are exceptional. They put up with my temper tantrums and melt downs, and they continue to support even the most absurd of my aspirations.

I am thankful for the friends of mine who have stuck around. In this stage of my life, many friends are transient, but I continue to keep many good friends in my heart forever. I know that a little distance and a little time does not change anything. This means everything.

I am thankful for my cat. I often under appreciate him. I often take for granted the warm feeling of another living being wanting only to be beside you, to love you unconditionally, to cry outside your bedroom door because he doesn't understand how you could imagine spending a night away from him. He is my companion in the lonely times, and he remains loyal to me all the others.

And finally, I am thankful for Walker, the original dream giver. Like all animals, his simple devotion uncomplicates my life and helps me put everything else in perspective. Together we are an unbreakable team regardless of the goals we accomplish or the skills we acquire.

I'm a firm believer in dreams. I always have been. I think sometimes we forget how simple it truly is to follow our dreams and how the path, however broken and full of obstacles it may be, is just as important as the end goal itself.

What were your dreams as a child? Have you accomplished them?