Driving the Dream

Since joining Facebook I've gotten to know some people I haven't seen in years, but communicated with through e-mail, in a whole different way.  I've learned a lot reading their posts.  I know that, of people close to my age: one dances the tango, one runs in marathons, another travels the world on business.

So, all that being true, why shouldn't I think about doing something I've dreamed about since being a teenager?

I mean dream literally, as in sleep dreams.

In those dreams, I would be ...somewhere.  Somewhere, walking with purpose.

In these dreams, I would be in the middle of a walk across the United States.  As dreams go, there was no beginning, there was only the "walk in progress".  I figure I'd have these dreams several times a year.  And then, one day, the dreams stopped.  Strangely, my spouse had these types of dreams too, except he would be running.

When you are young, you up and do something, no fear, sometimes no planning.  As someone almost a "senior",the mind works differently-that's both good, and bad.

Good, because you know you have to plan.

Bad, because you can be too easily scared.  Or overwhelmed by details.  Or, feeling the aching knee or the hurting ankle, wonder what the heck is possessing you.  Or looking in the mirror and seeing the weight that wasn't there when you were a teen, and knowing you have a bad back, that can cause some self-pity too.  Arthritis can slow you down a little.

Well, right after Thanksgiving, something happened.  The day after Thanksgiving, two of my spouses' cousins climbed into a moving truck and drove from South Florida to Southern California.  It took them about a week.  They stopped in various places and did sightseeing:  New Orleans, Austin.  They posted pictures as they went, via their mobile phone, on Facebook.

If I had done that walk across the country when I was young, but assuming I was young today and not in the 60's, I would have posted those pictures, too.  And in fact, earlier this year, a group of young people from the Rochester, NY area did just that, when they walked across the country in an undertaking called "Walk the Dream".  I followed them on Facebook, just as I followed my cousins in law in their drive.

Now, it's my turn.

Do I take up the challenge?  It doesn't have to be a cross country walk.  It could be (walking) a 1/2 marathon.  The point is, at my age the saying "use ir or lose it" is so true.  I must not lose my sense of wanting to do something I have dreamed about for years.  It isn't too late.  I know I won't do it tomorrow, as winter closes in.  But I must keep this dream burning bright.