DREAM AND LET DREAM
BROOKE & WILHELM GENN | THE NOMADIC NEWLYWEDS
Today it was a rant hating on travelers. Last week it was a rant hating on non-travelers. Seems a few fools out on the wicked-wide-web are wasting precious time (which they could be using to chase down their own dreams) trying to devalue the dreams of others.
Since this silliness is buzzing around, we’d like to clear up our position on the topic right here, right now.
Do you love to travel – would you do so 200+ days out of the year if you could? Are you invigorated by the sounds of a language you don’t understand – by the sights and smells of a culture not your own? Well, thats grand. BUT, I hope this isn’t crazy news to you: Not everyone can travel the world, taking photos and gobbling up macarons. An even more important distinction: Not everyone wants to.
Do you love your thoughtfully curated, 3 bedroom home? Are you fulfilled by the pitter-patter of tiny feet (whether of pups or kiddos)? Well, that’s swell. BUT, maybe surprisingly: Not everyone can settle down, buy a cottage with a white picket fence and birth four mini-mes. An even more important distinction: Not everyone wants to.
Do you have zero savings, but tons of crazy memories from that year in Thailand? Do you forgo the norms of eating out, having cable TV and owning a car – all so you can save-up to pick-up and go again? Do you hustle to feed your wanderlust? Is your Instagram feed full of bikini-clad, champagne toasts on the beach? That’s grand.
Do you set aside a weekly budget toward your retirement, or toward the kiddos college funds? Do you work your butt off from 9-5 to provide a beautiful and stable home for your family? Do you thrive off of your routine and your community, your coworkers and your hobbies? Do you flood Facebook with ‘baby’s first’ photos full of tiny toys and pink tutus? That’s swell.
All of this, honestly, is WONDERFUL. For, you are joyfully pursing your own version of a full life.
You know what’s not grand, what’s not swell, and what’s certainly not wonderful: If, in your pursuit of living a full life on your terms, you are judging and hating on those seeking that fulfillment by a different path.
“YOLO” (You Only Live Once: for anyone who’s been living under a rock)… does not apply solely to quitting your corporate job to backpack around the globe. NOR does it apply solely to getting hitched, having a family or running your own business.
YOLO (or in my preference, C A R P E D I E M ) is meant to inspire you to take a leap toward YOUR DREAMS. Not toward mine. Not toward your dad’s, or your sister’s or your frenemy’s. YOUR DREAMS.
It’s not: “You only live once: SO, you better sell your belongings and become a tuk tuk driver in Peru.” (#YOLOSYBSYBABATTDIP is not a great acronym, anyway.)
It’s also not: “You only live once: SO, you better get baby-makin’ before you’re 40.” (#YOLOSYBGBMBY4 doesn’t work either.)
Living fully has so many definitions… and really, that’s the beauty of it.
Unlike many things in this life, your dreams and goals are completely up to you. You get to create them, to dream them into existence, and then you get to decide how you’re going to pursue them.
So, what’s the moral of this story?
If you are a traveler: Don’t assume non-travelers aren’t living fully, that they’re boring, or that they don’t have a true thirst for life.
If you are not a traveler: Don’t assume that travelers are running away from responsibilities, that they just haven’t grown up yet, or that they’re just in it for the #insta.
Final thoughts: Don’t let the world dictate your dreams, and don’t devalue the dreams of other because they differ from your own. Support the dreamers of seemingly-odd-dreams, cheer them on, and then get back to chasing your own oasis.
If your dream is to raise crickets in Alberta, with a pug and two parrots, traveling to Chicago once a month just to chow down on some deep dish and spend your hard-earned, cricket-farming cash on a collection of miniature Sears Tower figurines… That’s cool, man.
I say, don’t settle for anything less. Be kind. Dream big. Create a life you love.
You only live once, so Carpe Diem. But, please remember: Dream and let dream, baby.
If, after reading this post, you’re sitting here thinking, “I don’t fit neatly in to either of these example categories you’ve compared! What about me?”
Here are a few thoughts/resources, just for you multi-passionate peeps out there:
Work full time and want to travel? Consider being a “part timer“. There’s a brand spankin’ new blog/site for just that. TravelPartTime: Real-life tips & tricks for working full time & traveling part time.
Want endless inspiration for living life fully, whether at home or away? Pop over to Skimbaco Lifestyle where you’ll find everything from destination inspiration to bringing the vacation-vibes into your own home!
Gorgeous Family Imagery by: Everlasting Love Photography
Travel Images by: Nomadic Newlyweds
One thought on “Dream and let dream”
Gorgeous pictures and amazing post. As we have been talking, we all have different dreams and for me this is one of the most incredible parts of travelling. Being able to know other people that don’t really share the same dream as I do, that has a distinct way of living. The only way I really can do that is going to them, to their city, country, talking to them and sharing great moments. Congrats on the beautiful blog! 🙂
Comments are closed.