Week 2

The focus this week was on creating a life with meaning. Living a life with intent. Purposely choosing to do those things that would bring you joy now and in the future.  So what did I learn this week? From Randy Pausch's last lecture that was given at Carnegie Mellon, I learned that brick walls are given to us for a reason. Pausch said, "Remember brick walls let us show our dedication.  They are there to separate us from the people who don't really want to achieve their childhood dreams.  Don't bail.  The best of the gold's at the bottom of barrels of crap." (Randy Pausch's Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams)  I look back at some of my childhood dreams, some are fulfilled, some are not. I can't help but wonder why I didn't fulfill all my dreams. One dream I didn't fulfill was that of being a high school math teacher. I even started my college experience with that degree in mind. But as the math classes got harder, my confidence in attaining this goal dwindled. I ran hard into that brick wall, got knocked down, and never got back up. I wish I would have had this lesson taught to me back then. Now twenty-two years later my goal of attaining a Bachelors degree has gotten me back up, charging that wall again. This time I am doing things a little differently so I can make it over that wall. Remembering that I can do hard things will help me attain this childhood goal of getting a degree.

I think dreaming is very important. Dreaming helps you start the process of being able to see what is possible. If we didn't have dreams to invent, to write, to be a teacher, to be a mom, to be the best pianist or basketball player, where would we be? Our lives would be dull. We wouldn't have the passion or drive to achieve things that would bring us happiness. I believe dreams do that. Dreams allow us to look towards something.  If it is something attainable we will work to achieve it.

I believe Randy was able to achieve so many childhood goals because he didn't quit trying, he learned the fundamentals, he learned to take advise-good or bad--from others knowing that advise would be beneficial. He learned about being enthusiastic. But I think the biggest reason Randy was able to achieve so many childhood dreams was because he allowed himself to dream. He thought about what he wanted to accomplish at a young age and then set out to achieve as many as he could. He tried to tackle all his dreams, but in the end some were just not attainable, like playing in the NFL.

I really enjoyed the time I had to think about my stars and steppingstones and my bucket list and what I want in the future. Goals that will help me become the person I want to be. I may not be the best business woman out there and that is okay with me. One of my goals is to be the best mom and grandma I can be. As I read "What is Your Calling in Life? by Jeffery A. Thompson, there is a quote in there that made me realize that as a mother, I am doing more than enough. I don't have to be a business women to feel accomplished. Thompson posed the question "After our missions are over and we are no longer full-time servants of God, how can we keep a sense of purpose?"His mission President's wife answered saying, "When I do the laundry, I am building the kingdom of God.  When I scrub the floors, I am serving the Lord. When I tidy the clutter, I'm an instrument in His hands.  I do a lot of mundane jobs, but if my eye is single to God and I'm trying to serve my family, then I feel as much purpose in my work as a missionary can." This just reminded me that I do have purpose as a mother, even if sometimes the world says I don't.

I am excited to see what the following weeks in this class will bring.