Living Dreams

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

- Eleanor Roosevelt -

 

Dreams: can you imagine life without them?

One of my favorite mantra's is "dream big -- live big." If you knew the epic proportions of my dreamiest dreams you might just laugh at my idealistic thinking super powers. Call it grandiosity or call it visionary strength; whether truth or fiction; distraction or motivation --I consider my dreams my greatest treasure. A gift received from God.

Like any treasure, the freedom to dream big and live big is something not to be taken for granted but rather a gift to be received with gratitude.

Not to be taken for granted because it is a complex gift to be able to dream about a better world, a more cohesive community, an authentic personal life, and then set those dreams into motion. For a lot of people, living out their dreams is like searching for buried treasure. For a lot of us, our dreams get buried or distorted when we are too young to know the difference, and when we are old enough to know the difference we don't know if the treasure is even worth finding. Buried dreams and deep longings exist in all of us. They are the shared beauty in all humanity.  A connection to the world outside of our individual realities. A gift that we all possess but one that we do not all have direct access too. I dream about living fully. But I'm also still digging for buried treasure.

Young adulthood has been a tumultuous transition for me. The world outside of the tiny box that I was raised in is big and mysterious and wonderful. Like an ocean raging, it has moved me, rocked me, beaten me, held me, and ultimately transformed me. And through the process, I have somehow been guided back to where I started: my dreams. A gift from God. Received with gratitude.

I was raised in a community with a lot of fear and few resources. Fear of others and the unknown. Boxes were believed to be better than freedom. Roles and rules over relationships. Gender determined EVERYTHING. Dreams were buried. Dreams were lost. It has been with a lot of trepidation and echoing voices of criticism and shame that I gathered the courage seven years ago to dip my naked feminine toes in the ocean, and allowed myself to breathe in the fresh aroma of freedom. It started with a supportive husband and a certificate and license in massage therapy.  Which  showed me my capabilities and led to the desire for more education, more experience, and the completion of a bachelors degree. Step by step. Freedom is gradually becoming a full mind-body-spirit experience for me. I'm learning how to swim and surf and ride the waves.  It's tumultuous.  It's terrifying. It's transformational.

To dream freely.
To dream my own dreams.
To believe that they are beautiful.

These are gifts that I do not take for granted.

 Dreams of graduate school. Dreams of a future career as an Occupational Therapist. Dreams of using my intelligence, strength, and gifts in a way that contributes positively to society. Dreams of working with people in under-resourced corners. Dreams of bringing hope to those who don't have access to freedom. Dreams of seeing the world and experiencing diverse cultures.  Dreams of being an extension of the loving and healing hands and feet of Christ.
Dreams. Dreams. Dreams.

But dreams cannot live in isolation - dreams demand to be shared. And heard. Dreams provide a shared space in healthy relationships for hope and trust and freedom. There are a handful of people in my life that I fondly think of as my "dream keepers" and my dreams live on because they consistently honor the privilege of hearing and sharing my dreams.

I think of people like Eleanor Roosevelt who was one of the earliest advocates for comprehensive care of persons with disabilities, who passionately advocated for the basic rights of all people.  A person who did not just actively pursue her own dreams - but breathed life into the dreams of others.

Dreams of quality care in the context of normal community for people with disabilities. Dreams of changes in legislation to provide funding for alternative living arrangements for people with disabilities. Dreams of destructive and offensive labels being eradicated for people with disabilities. Dreams of finding more humane ways of treatment and retiring the use of restraint. Dreams of  education for all abilities. Dreams of employment for all abilities. Dreams of transportation for all abilities. Dreams of olympics for all abilities. Dreams that the worth of a human life won't be equated with abilities and accomplishments.
Dreams. Dreams. Dreams. 

Shared Living is about Sharing Dreams.

Not to be taken for granted because it is a complex gift to be able to dream about a better world, a more cohesive community, an authentic personal life, and then set those dreams into motion. Until two decades ago, housing options like Shared Living have only been a dream for people with disabilities. Jodi and Sarah are now living the dream that so many people have been dreaming about for decades. They are living the dream of being seen, heard, and validated as humans worthy of life and love.

Dreams tie us together. Sarah, Jodi, and I are different people from different backgrounds but what we share in common are dreams for freedom and a life worth living.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Shared Living is not epic or extraordinary - it is most often mundane and monotonous. And yet it is a living dream. A dream in action. Perhaps dreaming about big dreams is always going to be more epic than living them?  But what good are dreams unless they are lived and shared? There is something about seeing this shared life as a real-life living dream that helps me rest in its imperfect tension.

May you also rest in the belief that your dreams are beautiful. The next step to believing is sharing your dreams with others. Who are the dream keepers in your life? What dreams can you share with others?

POSTSCRIPT:  2015 marks the 25 year anniversary (since 1990) that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been signed into law. It's only been 25 years.  This act has provided the legal protections necessary for people with disabilities to live satisfying and safe lives in the context of integrated and supportive communities. But the real work has only just begun. The opportunities for sharing the dream to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities are ongoing and endless.