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Steven L Whysel's avatar

Sharing your life story takes bravery and determination. I applaud you for such honesty. I started realizing, while in college, that I would not be afraid to dare to reach to accomplish my dreams and yearnings. I had enough experience by then in my life lessons and watching others I knew that when you reach high for dreams disappointments are part of the territory, but oh how lovely are the sights from your mountain tops. Yes, it’s true, you do appreciate that view even more if you have also experienced the “valleys” of life.

At 85 that thrill of reaching to fulfill today’s dream has never left. It is never too late to start on a new path.

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Lisa Ditalia's avatar

I’m not afraid to admit I still need help to Re-establish mine and pursue it with that childlike passion that seems to have dissipated. Thank you for sharing yours. 🎄😘

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Fred Basset's avatar

I have always and continue to envy those who knew what they wanted to do with their lives from an early age. I woman I went to school with knew she wanted to be a teacher from the time she was in grade school. She would hold class in the yard with her dolls and stuffed animals. I was not as fortunate. My career path was a compromise, something I did well enough but never the center of my existence. I did not grow up playing cowboys and lawyers. In a way I was fortunate. I am not one of those people who loses all focus and meaning when they retire. One part of my life ended but a new one has begun. I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up. I am OK with that.

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Babette Albin's avatar

I married friend and politico whose ideas and social background was compatible with mine. We’ve been married for 51 years and l tricked him into going to law school; he wanted to be “the czar of the world.” He became a compassionate, brilliant, public prosecutor.

I became a Jewish czarina and “that’s the way it is!

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William Weaver's avatar

That was amazing. Finding those notes from the past about your future.

Thank you for sharing.

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Dave Conant - MO's avatar

Blessings and happy New Year to you and your family Deborah. Today's writing explains why "livin' the dream" when asked how one is doing has become a cynical response indicating that life isn't going wonderfully well. I suspect that a lot of people who aren't living their real dreams fail to do so because they're afraid to recognize the importance of their dreams or even that it's OK to have dreams. In the dream world "Go big or go home" is the foundation, not just advice and, the bigger one's dreams the more likely we are to reach unexpected heights as long as we don't hold ourselves back for fear of falling short of the ultimate goal and, by reaching, we're more likely to realize that the ultimate success is happiness with ourselves and the life situation we're living.

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Russell Meyer's avatar

“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for?”

- Robert Browning

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Babette Albin's avatar

I married friend and politico whose ideas and social background was compatible with mine. We’ve been married for 51 years and l tricked him into going to law school; he wanted to be “the czar of the world.” He became a compassionate, brilliant, public prosecutor.

I became a Jewish czarina and “that’s the way it is!”

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George Neidorf's avatar

At 12 I knew what I wanted to do and did it until I was 75. Occasionally, I still do it at home.

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Bill Alstrom (MA/Maine/MA)'s avatar

When I was quite young and into my early teens I had kept a journal. I was probably ranting my feelings. By the time I was sixteen, I had stopped. Too busy exploring the freedom of a driver's license. There were friends to hang out with, beer and the hope of meeting the "girl of my dreams". I stopped writing.

When I left my parents home and was cleaning out my desk, I discovered the journal. I found it to be embarrassing and destroyed it. I don't have many regrets. But that is one of them. It would be a hoot to read it now.

But here I am 60 years later - writing. I hope as my body and brain age and ultimately enter their end stage, that I will still be able to express myself with the written word.

I hadn't thought about that journal for decades. Thank you. It was foreshadowing for sure. I guess you could call it a "life dream".

BTW, I did find that "girl of my dreams" - the perfect partner for me - 27 years ago. And that is another story...

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Hamish Easton Mackay Dawson's avatar

Belated Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year!

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Hamish Easton Mackay Dawson's avatar

This is an inspiring story and a great archeological find, Deborah! Adults tend to feel detached about their childhood, not realising that this sort of imprinting is happening in the young you

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