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Lately I’ve been thinking about how I seem to be at a crossroads of sorts.  And not just me… my daughter, Mae (18) is also at a crossroads. I’m jumping back into the working world; she’s just starting college.  I’ll be the “new kid” at work; she’ll be the “new kid” at school. 

Okay, so maybe that’s a stretch to think those are connected, but I’ve been thinking about how Mae and her friends have a glimpse of their dream, their future. They’re just starting out on that path, whether they get there via college or not.  I feel like my own path meandered through valleys and meadows and forests and finally opened up again recently, leading me straight back to my dream.  And I wonder how it will be for Mae. She’s determined, idealistic, hard working ~ leaps ahead of where I was at her age. It seems her path will be more direct, more immediate. 

Along those lines, I watched a movie the other night that totally surprised me, The Great Buck Howard.  It was such a delight to watch.  It’s about a young man who dropped out of law school because he just dreaded going everyday.  Instead, he dreamed of being a writer but wasn’t sure how to get there. So, in the meantime, he took an odd job as a road manager for a performing mentalist, Buck Howard.  He knows he won’t do it forever, but while he’s doing it, he’s loyal, works hard and puts up with a lot of grief due to Buck’s eccentricities. 

There are some real “zingers” in terms of dialog, like in a conversation the young man has with his girlfriend. He tells her, “I might be a crazy dreamer. I might fail miserably, but I have to at least try; otherwise, I’m not going to be happy at anything.” 

There are even more great lines, but I don’t want to spoil it for you. Anyway, I think you get the gist of where I’m going here.  So all of this got me to thinking about the various crossroads we encounter in our lives and whether or not we’re going to go for our dreams or pursue something that seems practical and safe. I thought about Mae and how she’s going for an Art degree with a Graphic Design emphasis, without a doubt in her mind (or ours) that she can do this.  I can also see the antithesis of this with my hubby. 

I would have to say that not pursuing your dreams - really, what God created you for and gifted you with abilities for - can lead to what I call “The Duldrums.” That’s where my husband is right now. I so want him to be able to go for his dreams and really be fulfilled… not just bring home a paycheck (which I totally appreciate, by the way. I mean, I know Hubby’s God-given ability to be skilled in a certain area, combined with good old-fashioned hard work, has provided for us all these years.) I would love to see him happy and excited about what he’s doing every day.

Today, over at The High Calling, author Al Hsu has written about this same topic. I recommend you take a detour and read his words of wisdom. Plus, there are some books linked over there that sound intriguing. I might buy one (or both) for my husband, and pull them out the next time he asks me “What is my purpose?” Or, “What am I really gifted at?”  Maybe then he’ll figure it out… we’ll figure it out.  How about you? Have you figured it out?