Dreams

You know how from age ten you have your life totally planned out and everything is supposed to go according to that plan? Well folks, it doesn't. Ever since I was twelve, I dreamed of coming to BYU, playing on the BYU women's soccer team, dating some athlete, and getting married. I also dreamed that I would be this average height girl that had pretty long blond hair that all the guys would love. Welp, I think reality is just a little different than what I dreamt of as a kid. Right now, I'm 5' 1", I have weird curly/wavy/straight thin brown hair, and I can definitely attest that I'm not that popular among the guys. I haven't been on a date for six months. I have acne. I've never been kissed. Actually, I've never even held a guy's hand. The guy I do like isn't really interested. And I'm transferring to BYU-Idaho in the fall. There is no way I would have pictured my life as it is right now, even a year ago. But you know what? It's perfect. I wouldn't have it any other way. Well, there are things that I don't like and I wish I could change, but these trials and difficulties that I have today are going to make me so much better in the future. I know it. And I choose to look on the bright side. I'm 5' 1"? Well, that gives me a unique perspective. I have really awkward hair? Hey, at least I've got some. I've never kissed a guy? Well it's going to make it so worth it when it does happen. And I'm going to BYU-Idaho? The Lord must have something in store for me there. And even though I am giving up so much down here, I just gotta have faith.

But this in no means translates into me giving up my dreams. Because I have lived many of my dreams, and I wouldn't give those up for anything. I went to state with my soccer team junior year. I was captain senior of my team. I was MVP. I got to play with a wonderful group of friends.

 I made the Advanced Jazz Band. I learned how to play the alto saxophone.

I took AP English and Calculus. I passed both tests. I graduated as Salutatorian in my class. I got accepted with a scholarship to BYU.

I gained friends for life.

And most importantly, I gained a testimony of the gospel. That, most of all, is what I cherish most.

Dreams are important in life. Even the far-fetched crazy ones that we envision as a kid. And even if the way we plan out our life may not be how it turns out, we can always revise, rewrite, and reevaluate our dreams. If dreams didn't ever come true then there wouldn't be happy endings. If there doesn't seem to be a happily-ever-after in sight, there will be one--if we keep reaching and hoping and praying and doing. And after all, we'll come to understand hindsight is sometimes the best perspective on life because it's then we realize that those unexpected and different paths of life were in our dreams after all...