The terror Of having your dreams handed to you...

One of the most terrifying experiences you can have is coming face to face the opportunity to make your dreams become your reality.  Especially when it comes into your life unexpectedly…

Your first reaction is “it’s too good to be true”.  Then all of the other “near misses” and broken promises pour into your memory.  Remember how you were burned before?  There was a time when you believed - only to have your heart broken and feel betrayed.

So where does the terror come from?

It comes from the growing realization that this time it’s really true - you can make your dreams come true - and this time it’s all up to you.

The opportunity - the process - the mechanism  isn’t going to let you down - the only thing that can let you down now -  is yourself.

This is really terrifying.

Because you can’t point to anything outside of yourself any longer  and blame it for your not manifesting your dreams.  You could before but this time you can’t.  This time around it’s the real deal - not your imagination - not wishing or hoping.  This time around you’re older - wiser - more experienced - less easily fooled. Even cautiously cynical.

It’s frightening to have your cynicism melt away as you look deeper - trying to find fault  - trying to find that red flag that you can build your rationale upon that will finally let you off the hook.

But you can’t find anything.

In fact the more closely you look - the deeper you go - the better it looks. Somebody has been where you’ve been and they attended to the details.  No - it’s not perfect - nothing in life is perfect - But you can see the striving for improvement - the not settling  for mediocrity.

And you find yourself surprised -  because you thought for a long time that you were the only one who understood how it should be - how it was going to feel when it was right.  Then you find out you’re not the only one.

That other’s have shared your pain and disappointment in the past… But never gave up hope that just maybe - one day…

Now they are coming together - thousands -  like an extended family - to create a new safe haven… A new home.

A safe place to dream - and inspire others to do the same.

As it sinks in - your growing recognition  leaves you humbled - the realization that it’s taken you a lifetime to get here - to find other people like yourself who have also come to finally believe they can live the life of their dreams.

So you take a leap of faith - after all, how many questions can you ask again and again - putting off the inevitable. Then you begin the last great adventure of your life - the one that’s gone to take you to the end of your time - the one you’ve always hoped would come one day.

And here you are - and so it is…

-Bob Baran