I recently had a good friend look me in the eye and ask me "What's so much better about where you're going? Why can't you just stay here?"
The answer is simple: because i have to.
The U.S. military has a powerful slogan that they’ve used down through the years as a form of insurance for their serviceman: “Leave no man behind.” For centuries, this has given men - young and old - the courage to go to battle defending American luxuries and liberties. This duty has also spurred some of the bravest and most heroic acts of human history.
I’m not the most gun-ho person for leaving things behind either. I have often left home behind lately even though l have a great family and loyal friends. It’s not easy to explain why I continually go...but I have things to get after. I think they understand. My conclusion is that the thought of being the “what could have been”-guy scares me more than being outside my comfort zone. So I go. (I say this because my family and friends would tell me to chase my dreams at all cost. At least I think they would. Some people would choose their family and friends over dreams, and to some extent that is a perfectly honorable decision).
It’s rarely reasonable, comfortable, safe, or consistent. Desires change shape and color, but there's always that one thing. Whether your's is down the street or across an ocean, what matters is that you dare to let your dream have a chance in the fight. After all, these things weren't entrusted to us just to become casualties at the hand of routine and mundane, but to be fought for.
I’m not old and grey yet - I have a lifetime of knowledge and wisdom to gain. But I have a sneaking suspicion that the dreams inside of me, if i do achieve them, will not actually take me where I think I'm going. If I had to guess, I would say it’s more likely that the journey in pursuit of my dreams is where the value and purpose and love will unfold. And if I play my cards right, the finish line of that race may never come.
Leave no stone unturned. Take no corner on 4-wheels. Leave no dream behind.
What's your dream, and to what corners of the world will it take you?
-A
*Graphic - Moyan
