"Do you have any idea how smart you are?" started my dad, "you guys are doing it right. And thoughtfully. You are following your dreams. There is so much power in that. It's so easy for you to listen to others who say you should be doing something else." He's proud of us. He loves what we are doing. In a way it's his dream too...
His words made me think though; sure we have had plenty of people tell us we're "crazy", we've even had a few friends say "rather you than me", but no one has told us we should be doing something else. Not to our faces at least. I guess it's implied in the world around us; people aren't "supposed" to do things like skip the career track and take off for a life at sea on a boat. People aren't "supposed" to find a way to live outside the status quo and avoid working for 'the man'. We were supposed to settle down after college, get jobs, grow in those jobs, buy a house, have some kids, continue working and growing, maybe buy a new car every five years and take a much needed vacation once or twice a year. That's what we "should" be doing according to the general consensus I guess. It's funny though, not a single person has said this to us. In fact, most people think it's pretty darn amazing what we are doing and while they might not want this life for themselves, they're incredibly supportive of us. Why? Because at the end of the day, I think people like to see people following their dreams.
I know not everyone's families are as supportive of skirting the "real world" as Scott's and mine, but there is still a lot of positive energy out there for people who want to follow their dreams. Like a current in an ocean, there's a ribbon of strength flowing through the Universe for dreamers who are lucky enough to tap into it. You might have to swim a little upstream to find it, and it might not always be easy - but the support is out there if you actively look for it. At the end of the day, you cannot sit and wait for your dreams to come to you, you must work hard to bring them to the surface for air. They are fragile, they are vulnerable and they can be fleeting.
I don't know if Scott and I are "smart", we're not doing this for any other reason than it's been our lifelong dream and we think this is the very best way to live our life. This is the path we have chosen; it feels right and we're going to continue on it until it doesn't feel right any more. Sure, we're following our dream, but in the process our dream has become our life. Pretty cool how that works.
They say that good things come to those who wait, but maybe it should read: good things come to those who follow their dreams? While there is something to be said for patience, waiting for something to come to you gives you an excuse to sit and do nothing when there are SO many great things to be done. I say don't wait, I say go for it! You're dream might just become your life too.
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19 comments:
Whenever I read posts like this one where people follow their dreams rather than following the 'normal' path of school/ career/ family/ baby/ house, etc... to be called 'crazy', I can't help but think of the scene in 'The Matrix' where Neo wakes up in the pod, unplugs himself from the Matrix and is finally free.
Here's to taking the red pill and blazing your own trail...
We've just embarked on our adventure too, and can completely relate to what you have said. The best thing we got told was, 'you're living the life most people don't even know how to dream about'. We think it is the best start in life we can give our kids, and not a bad interlude for us, either!
Your dad is a wise man... and you guys are crazy.. but I love it and I am so jealous. I cheer for you guys with every post.
You are 100% doing the right thing. Never doubt it for a second! I look at you and some other friends of ours (who just moved to Spain for the hell of it) and wonder what I'm doing in my gray cubicle!! ;)
The unusual part is that you guys are encouraged by your folks. As parents I think we're preprogrammed to encourage our kids towards the established norms college, career, marriage, house with a yard, kids, etc. I love the fact that you guys are following your dream because you prove that there is no "right path" or definition of success. As for the old adage...I have a favorite twist to it...good things come to those who wait but seldom to those who just sit and wait!
There are all kinds of dreams.
Many dream of making a difference in the world.
Some dream of being teachers and influencing hundreds of kids lives in a positive way. Some have ideas for inventions and want to build something that nobody in the world has ever done before. Some are inspired to investigate and discover the secrets of nature and the universe and become scientists. Others have a passion for correcting injustice and become community organizers and political activists. Other people have a vocation to heal and become doctors and nurses.
You have a dream to live on a boat. Good for you. There is no right path.
All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence
All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence
He was a dreamer, a thinker, a speculative philosopher... or, as his wife would have it, an idiot. ~ Douglas Adams
Very timely post and soooo true....I am going through the opposite view point from parents now.....I understand their view, take their points to heart, respect them, but they dont understand!
This was a fantastic post. Being that we are finishing our first full week living aboard our new to us 43' sailboat and have had every friend and family come visit and comment, "Wow, you guys are crazy!"
I realized that I love to be called crazy it makes me think of that well loved Kerouac quote:"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing but burn, burn, burn like fabulous roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes 'Awww!"
Yup, that's the kind of people that we are sure to meet in this new life path of being cruisers...and we are SO excited!!!
Get over yourselves Jill, Tim & Toby.
You're not the first humans on Mars. You haven't found the cure for cancer. You haven't even done something special or worthwhile for your local community.
You have merely decided to live on a boat.
Big deal! Are we supposed to be impressed? Awww?
Hey anonymous....you sound a little jealous? Take your hatin' somewhere else. In the meantime we'll work really, really hard at getting over ourselves.
HI Brittany. Nothing personal. And no, I'm not jealous. And I don't hate any of you cruisers.
It's just that I get a little puzzled when cruisers write these posts and comments expressing their opinion that they are doing something truly amazing and awesome with their lives, that they are extraordinary people, that they are in some way special.
I truly don't mind them making the choice to live on a boat if that makes them happy. But please don't ask me to admire them as much as they seem to admire themselves.
Nice work Anonymous...you cant even be man or woman enough to post your name...if you want to attack someone for absolutely no good reason, at least stand behind your comment with a name. In the meantime, as Britanny said...if you dont like the content, take it somewhere else, people like you disgust me.
Hey Anonymous,
Leave my dog, Toby, out of this! He's pretty awesome and nobody should ever get over him.
As for the rest of what you say...
This is a sailing blog with a specific topic of dreams. Nobody was trying to impress you. I have nothing but pure excitement to see others following their dreams.
Jill works for a non-profit water quality program in our watershed connecting citizens to the science and research to help make incremental change in surface and ground water...and she is an active member of the town conservation committee. I engage in local environment advocacy. That is a pretty good "something special for your local community" IMHO.
Now instead of judging you as you have so clearly judged my family...(and you are completely wrong about us by the way) PLEASE open your mind, breath deep, and having a drink dude. And don't be a hater...life's to short!
I think it is great that you guys are 'living your dream', I'd love to try it myself if I knew how to make it work financially. I hope you continue to find joy in it.
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