Dreams. We all have them. They may be fleeting or they may be vivid and haunt us for days. These nocturnal visions are often indicators of what is to come in our lives as well as what has already happened in our past.

And there are the other dreams we have. These are aspirations of what we hope that someday will become our reality. On many occasions we feel that these goals are impossible to achieve. Yes, subconsciously sometimes they have become goals. And if we allow feelings of defeat and helplessness to consume us, we continue to stagnate and become stuck.

As a young child, I recall many of my playmates stating that when they grew up they wanted to be a teacher or a mother with lots of children. These were never my dreams at that age, but interestingly enough that is the path I followed.

I got married very young and went from being a carefree teenager to a conservative and bored housewife. Several years later my children came along, and that was when I began to thrive again. Every single day brought new adventures into my life, and it was exciting to see my children grow through the various stages of life.

And it still is. But it’s from a very different perspective. I watch them flourish in their respective careers. Because I live in a different country miles away I have lost that feeling of constant involvement in their lives. But they have their dreams and I have mine.

And the time is now for me to follow my dreams. After years of putting my family first, I am finally learning to elevate myself to that status. And I sincerely hope that nobody out there pinches me and forces me to awake from this dream.

This is my fourth year teaching in Mexico. What began as a one year venture has blossomed into so much more. Despite the many challenges I have faced, I have grown and discovered incredible things about myself.

I have embraced a new culture and a new language. I have met amazing people and have had mindblowing adventures. I awake each morning with anticipation of a new and wonderful day.

My faith in God has been restored. And forgiveness now plays an important role in my life. This beautiful feeling of peace and tranquility fills my heart as I eagerly deal with issues that no longer have the ability to cloud my day.

I often reflect on the dreams I have today for myself, and ponder how to make these a reality. Many of them seem so remote and unattainable at the moment. But then I remind myself that just five years ago today I was stuck in an extremely unhappy and unhealthy relationship. And here I am now living in Neverland!

“Don’t be afraid to dream. Without wishes and dreams, life is a narrow road leading nowhere.” Anonymous.

And so I continue to dream. I know that I have the ability to direct the course of my life. And with faith and perseverence, I can make my dreams come true!