Hot Air Balloons and Large Tips

For those of you who know me, it is no surprise that I consider myself to be a big dreamer.  And while I definitely do have some crazy dreams at night while I'm comfortably cocooned by my electric blanket, this is not exactly what I'm going for here.  I think big.  Outside the box.  Outside of rationality and simplicity.  And sometimes....outside of my reach.  It is both my greatest strength, and my most monumental weakness.  

I want to learn to fly.  (Literally, but just a plane would be nice too).  I want to jump into a giant pool of noodles, no mater how nasty everyone says it will be.  I want to live in Australia, at least for a brief amount of time.  In fact, I would like to spend at least 5 years of my life living outside the bounds of this wonderful nation I have grown to know as my home.  I want to go hot-air ballooning over the Grand Canyon.  I want to bike across the nation.  I want to plant a church.  I want to run a marathon- if for no other reason than running is an arch enemy of mine and I want to win the war.  I want to live in a teeny town somewhere out west and go to the same restaurant every day for breakfast just so I can leave my favorite waitress a 10, 15, or even 20 thousand dollar tip.  I want to own my own business.  I want to buy a house for a family who needs it- and I don't want them to ever know it was me.  I want to live on the streets.....if only for a week, just so I can better understand the hearts of those who are not as fortunate as I.   I want to live in Arizona.  I want to learn to love completely and 100% unconditionally.  I.....want to make a difference.

I believe that life is about so much more than being comfortable.  I decided long ago that the white picket fence life was not for me.  Life is so much bigger.  What terrifies me most is the thought that I will become so comfortable with my life- my job, my relationships, my lifestyle- that I will be too afraid to leave.  Too afraid to experience new things.  Too afraid of a challenge.  Too afraid of not having enough money or not having enough friends. 

From time to time, I experience a certain degree of ridicule from friends and family members because of my dreaminess.  It is easy for me to get completely caught up in an idea or a dream...and every now and then I do need a healthy dose of reality to bring me down out of the clouds.  But on the other hand, I believe that dreams can come true.   Sure- they may not always be easy, and they may not always be practical.  But they can be reality. If we didn't ever follow our dreams, would we have cars?  cell phones?  Pizza?  Sure, the question seems trivial, but if someone didn't follow their dreams- these things would not exist.  If dreams were not sought after, relationships would be different.  Governments would be different.  Companies, products, healthcare......everything would be different!  I am not saying these things to try and justify my outlandish dreaming behavior (I'll take a picture of the Grand Canyon for you from my hot air balloon) but to suggest to you that there may be more to living than just living.  Don't sell yourself short.  Make your dreams your reality.   Experience Life.  Make a Difference. Have no Regrets.