This post is part of our series Primer to Living the Dream Life
Living your dream life starts with a dream…
It all started when I noticed a house that I used to drive by nearly every day. It was a plain white house with four columns, stately but simple. There was a barn and a shop at the back, both of which I had no present use for…but I was mysteriously captivated by this little piece of land. For some reason (buried in my DNA) as I was driving the country back roads to and from my appointments and errands, it often caught my eye. And then as seasons changed and days turned into years, I watched the owners plant a laurel hedge around the perimeter. I watched that laurel hedge grow up into a tall bastion till I could barely spy the house behind it. I saw the homeowners – a darling couple – bustle about with great pride of ownership.
(And I’ll have you know that I don’t “watch” houses like this! I am neither a house gawker nor stalker; there really was just something that drew me in!) Haven’t you ever had something that inexplicably drew you in, too?
- Like a song that brings you to tears each time you hear the lyrics. It has sung to your heart.
- Like an object or scene that captivates you and you think about it time and again after you’ve lost the chance to bring it home. It has captured your senses.
- Like the way you’re transported to another place and time when you write, read, or create. It has fed your imagination.
There are just some things that have a presence, a resonance, with your very soul.
And then it happened. I couldn’t stand it any longer. One day about 8 or so years ago I was driving past this little patch of paradise, and I just swung my car into their driveway. All of the sudden I was filled with urgency. I just had to ask them: Would they ever consider selling? (This was more than ridiculous. This house – my dream house – was out of our league four or five times over. It made not a stitch of sense.) As it turns out, the owners were away and I ended up only being able to sheepishly give my business card to their son’s wife as they looked at me like a crazy stalker woman. I got back in my car and drove away feeling more than a little intrusive, but at least I hadn’t been shot! And I felt an odd sense of relief in having outed myself. It was as if I had answered a call that hadn’t come yet. Want to know the REAL crazy thing? I had just introduced myself to my future.
You see, sometimes we must pull the “yes lever” on the dream in our heart. We must do something tangible (that even may seem entirely impractical) that acknowledges the buried vision in our soul. And for 12 years my soul had been longing for this beautiful property we now call Dream Acres. I truly believe that Trevor and I may not have stepped into our destiny here four years ago had I not taken action. You see, I agreed with the song that heaven was playing for me…the song I heard in my heart but had to affirm in the everyday realm. I believe that when I was willing to make myself vulnerable and just throw objections and limitations out the window (of my car, as it were), I actually activated something.
I will unpack the rest of this story as this blog series continues, along with lots of details and secrets of our integrated life. I hope you will join me for that!
In this first post of the “Primer to Living Your Dream Life,” however, I just wanted to begin with encouraging you that your dream life might be closer than you think. Just reflect for a moment on what dreams are buried in your heart.
- What moments or lyrics or places or things sing to your soul?
- When are you inexplicably drawn in?
- Now let all the pragmatic stuff go for a moment. Just let it slip off you.
- Be willing to face the unknown (including ridicule for stalking!) in order to apprehend that dream
- Now, go introduce yourself to your future!
As you take this journey with me, won’t you please share your dreams and triumphs with us? Be sure to comment on our blog and join in the conversation!
Thanks for reading along with our Primer to Living the Dream Life series.
Read “Getting OUT of Balance“
Read “The Key That Unlocks the Dream Life”
Read “Reclaiming Learning”
