Restored Dreams

For my friends yearning to grow up, get out of school, and get into the real world.

I think post-college life isn’t always as glamorous as we expect it to be.  Especially for those who tend to romanticize everything in life, like ahem, yours truly.

Seriously.  I didn’t know why all these post-grads were complaining about “how hard it was”, and now as I stand in their shoes I see why.  But don’t worry I’ll spare you on the complaining. I am just sympathizing that I do, in fact understand.

I will say that this year, The Eternal Summer- as we have joyously dubbed this season of new-found freedom from school scheduling, assigned reading, and pointless homework- has indeed had its perks.  As you can imagine the ability to pick up and go, especially if you don’t have a “big girl” job yet, is quite an advantage.  BUT what is not an advantage is having hardly any funds to make that happen, much less to no longer being handed that nice scholarship check every semester.  And some days I feel like I am running around with my head cut off trying to manage all these part-time jobs to make ends meet.

On top of that, the pressure to get a big girl job is a little bit out of control.  At least from what the world tells you.  I think a lot of us go into freak out mode and ask ourselves questions along the lines of:

“AHHHHHHHHHHH?!”

“WHO AM I?”

“DO I want to do this FOREVER?”

“Can I really do ANYTHING with my liberal arts degree?”

“Am I settling into a life of boringness, mediocrity, etc?”

“Do I haaaaaaavvveee to grow up yet?”

“Oh this is what it costs to be on your own?”

Yeah…those are just a few.

Most friends in my life are experiencing just these momentous questions right now.  They set in sometime during your senior year of college and I don’t think they really stop until A) You pursue your real dream or B) you settle and tell yourself that everything is fine until you finally convince yourself that it is.

I think one thing I’ve been terrified of lately is prospect B.  I know, I know… God does NOT design us to live out of a place of fear but instead out of a place of rest and peace in His will.  Buutttt sometimes we don’t choose His will, therefore we do not benefit in rest and peace.  I will say I’ve been there. 

I think it hit me this past week that I never want to take the easy way out.  That way, again usually results in option B.  I’m not advocating making things hard on your self when it doesn’t have to be, at all. Don’t get me wrong there.  But what I am saying is sometimes chasing your dream looks a little more difficult, or harder to achieve.  You know what I say…GO FOR IT.

Seriously.  What if there isn’t another opportunity to do so.  Do you want to say you chased your dreams even though it was sometimes hard. Or do you want to say you were too scared to do the hard thing. So you took the easy way out and instead forfeited a grand adventure that was waiting for you.  Not me.

Just a thought.  I think God has been EXTREMELY kind and EXTREMELY gracious to me this week.  He is a God of restoration and is giving me back the opportunity to pursue a dream that I thought I had forever laid down.  Not so.

Here we are.   Here the dream lies right in front of me.  And this time, I’m doing it.

I hope you will too.

xo, Kelsey Belle

Restored Dreams