Drum Fill

I work with an amazing team of people. I feel very lucky to not only enjoy what I do for a living, but also actually enjoy the people in my office. After a rather long meeting yesterday we were all preparing to head to lunch together. Carey ran up on the stage and sat behind the drum set. She disclosed that as a child she had always dreamed of having her own drum set and had even presented a plan to sound proof the attic in her house. Unfortunately, that dream was never realized. Fernando joined her on stage to give her a crash course in the drums. After 10 minutes she was able to hit a drum, cymbal, and the kick drum on beat and keep a rhythm, at least for a few seconds. Once at lunch Carey asked us all if we had hidden dreams as kids or even adults that we were one day hoping to achieve. The results of the conversation were quite interesting.

Beth hopes to one day own her own business. She wants to own a specialty pet store, and even has a clever name to boot. I think she hopes to sell collars, dog clothes, and offer grooming. She definitely lit up when talking about the store, but what I love seeing is the way that Beth dreams for her son. She lights up when she talks about him and really dreams of the ways she can bring a smile to his face.

Virginia has always wanted to play the drums or the guitar, but what she really wants to do is continue her passion for ice skating. She skated all the time as a kid and would one day love to get back to it. Virginia reminds me of a kid sometimes. She’s a loving friend, and one of her greatest gifts has been the way she plays with her daughters. I’ve loved watching her use her own imagination to instill a sense of wonder and play in her girls.

Erin has found that she loves sewing and would love to sell some of her own creations. She’s started out small, but with her new sewing machine in tow, I’m pretty sure she’s going to start having more orders than she can handle. She crafts memory books for each of her kids and saves anything that might come in handy to them one day. You can find some of her creations already for sale here .

Fernando couldn’t quite vocalize his dream. He felt really lucky to have a job so young that allows him creative freedom in art, music, and organization. He’s had the chance to do short-term missions and travel. The thing about Fernando is that his dreams don’t stay dreams for long. He writes songs for his son and turns home videos into music videos as soon as he captures them. He lives every day doing exactly what he wants to do and doesn't wait for the time later down the road.

Carey, my boss who started this whole conversation, is constantly encouraging us to really do what we love. She loves to write and create, to dream and design. She has a baby on the way in May. That child is in for an adventure.

Dreams are fascinating. Some of us are born with dreams that we wait our whole lives to take hold of, while others find that the dreams take hold of us and shape the way that we live every day. I think there was a time in my life when I worried that my dreams would somehow conflict with my calling as a believer. Although my preference on timing may not line up, I’m convinced that the dreams within me have been placed for a reason and will one day come to fruition. I have this huge list of dreams, a bucket list if you will. But if I don’t get to them all it will really be ok. I just want my life to be about accumulating experiences and not possessions. I may not climb Mount Kilimanjaro before I die but that doesn’t mean I have to miss out on all the mountains around me right now. Who knows if I will learn to play a drum set (apparently everyone shares this) or write a manuscript – but dreaming is way better than just shuffling along. So dream on my friends, dream on.