Well, we have made it to the holiday season of 2021. In some ways it is truly unbelievable to be nearing the end of another year, and in other ways it feels like it is exactly where we should be. 

This year I decided to do a blog series on “The Gifts of the Season” for the holidays. And I think there is no better way to start off with the gift of sharing our hearts. 

Most of us learn about the importance of sharing our material things, our ideas, and our abilities at a young age. But it seems that as we get older the world makes us more fearful and hesitant to share ourselves. We worry that we will be judged on the validity, realism, importance, or correctness of our dreams. Or we just forget to keep dreaming at all. 

When you share your dreams/goals/what inspires you/or what makes you feel alive you infect others with the interest to dream. And whether they are considered small or big, sharing has the potential to make a difference. To change lives

If you are regular readers you hear from me often. I hope my willingness to dream big, share them with others, go after them, and share successes and failures inspires you to do the same. But I am one voice. So this week I am honored to share some of the dreams of others. I hope the many voices will inspire you to do the same. 

Enjoy!

When I get older I would love to go to a good college. I would like to study teaching at college. Because I like to be with kids. The grade I want to teach is kindergarten up to 3rd grade. A dream I have for myself is to be a teacher and have a good long life. I also want to have a family when I am older. And I also want to stay close with all of my family and friends in my life. And the dogs I want are a husky, a Dalmatian, and a golden retriever. 

Emme, age 10

In the future I want to be a cop when I grow up that takes time to play on the USA team for soccer. I also want to be a mom of a German shepherd, two golden retrievers, and two kids. I want to live in Utah and go to UW. 

Joey, age 11

I have many goals for the future. Some short term goals I have are to get good grades in Spanish this year so that I can move to Spanish 2 next year. Another is to get better at basketball. I want to improve my shooting. A goal I have for this year is to also read a lot more. Some long term goals I have are to take AP Spanish my senior year. I also want to play HS sports like volleyball, basketball, and softball. I also want to get into a good college with a good nursing program. I would also like to live in the mountains. I hope I can accomplish these goals at some point in my life. 

Avery, age 13

I usually dream about success with a career. I want to be a forensic scientist. I also dream about traveling a lot and just doing things that make me happy. 

Piper, age 16

I dream about what my future classroom will look like and what kind of teacher I will be. Along with that, I dream of coming home to my family and spending time with them. 

Abby, age 19

I want to be married and be a conservation geneticist. 

Halle, age 18

I dream of getting to a place of accepting who I am and moving away from judgement and insecurity. Yes, I’ll always have some of that, and that’s going to be ok, but I want to be confident and comfortable with who I am and continue to learn to not care what others think. And I dream of when I can be in a place where I can still be competitive, which is my truest form of me, but in a way that drives me forward instead of a place of being scared and afraid and feeling like I’m less of a person when I’m not as pretty, skinny, fast or as strong as others. 

I dream of the day I am physically capable of standing on that start line of a half Ironman next year and then a full Ironman in a couple years and be proud, and not ashamed or upset at whatever the outcome is, because I finished it and did the best I could on that day. Ironman, even triathlon was something I never had as a dream, even after seeing my Dad complete those over the years. But my love of this new endurance athlete self, honing in on my days in the water as a kid with each swim, has driven me to have new dreams and goals. I dream of being capable, strong and confident with my future in triathlons, half and full Ironmans and seeing where that takes me. And my first physically goal is to get back to running, after almost 2 months off. That day is approaching soon and I’m scared and nervous and emotional thinking about it. 

I also dream of a better world but that’s a whole different topic that I won’t get into just yet.

Emily, age 41

I desire for everyone to be seen and heard. I want people to feel safe enough to dream. I dream of a place where people no longer feel that they have to victimize themselves but have tools to step into their own power. I want children to be safe from sexual assault, trafficking, and other such bullshit. I want everyone to experience the warmth of the one true God at least once in their lives. I want the residents of east STL to have the money and belief in themselves to sign up for a race. I want women in the world to be safe from the tyranny of power hungry men. I want people to see the real God-not who people make Him out to be- but the one he truly is. I dream of less judgement and more listening. And world peace. 😉 

Brandy, age 41

I dream about traveling around in an RV with my husband when we retire with my dogs, coffee, my bike and just living life. 

Bonnie, age 52

I am living my dreams. 

I want for nothing. I am in good health, surrounded by loving family and friends, living in a home that I cherish, providing service that aligns with my calling, enjoying getaways both far and near, engaging my interests while exploring new ones, and attending to my inner yearnings as I keep changing.

In contrast, my dream for our world is humanity will evolve a higher consciousness to truly care for our planet earth and the necessities of life for all sentient beings to have a peaceful co-existence with one another.

Candice, age 71

Thank you to all who shared. The world changes when we can inspire even just one person today.

Keep sharing yourself—it is the best gift you can give.

Cheers,

MB