From the Tribe

What is your dream? Think really hard. If money is not an issue, what would you do? Where would you go? Who would you see? Who would you help? What's that one thing that you have always wanted to do, but haven't or never did? AND, what price is that dream worth to you? That is, what would you DO to make it happen?

Since these are the times of reality TV, I am sure that many of you have seen Survivor, where many individuals are dropped off in the middle of practically nowhere, on a beach or outback somewhere. They are pitted against each other as they lie, betray, race, and starve their way toward a million dollars. Some of you may not be a big fan, others of you may be addicts, but nevertheless, you have seen a clip or commercial and are familiar with this show in some way. (I've often thought I'd like to be on that island for about 15 or 20 days, just enough to lose 20 pounds...)

When you think about your dream, is it worth having less food? No cable? No cell pone? No SUV? What would you REALLY do to achieve that dream? What would you give up? or let go of?

We are achieving our dream. It is slow going, sometimes excruciatingly so. However, we can see it growing before us. We have made sacrifices; sacrifices that we have CHOSEN. We CHOSE to do less and have less so that we can be doing exactly what we want, when we want, and how we want. Yeah, sometimes we miss things or want things, but in the grand scheme of things, those minor wants are not worth taking two steps back from achieving our dream.

The past couple of nights I have not gotten good, sound sleep. I am a light sleeper, and since my hubby is working (at home) odd hours, he wakes me when he does not mean to. I was thinking about this at 4:45 a.m. this morning while lying in bed, unable to sleep. I thought well, humph, I could get mad about this. I could stomp into the other room and fuss at him for disturbing my precious sleep, all the while making him feel bad. But, what will that gain me? In the grand scheme of things when compared to our dream and mission, absolutely nothing but lost sleep. I asked myself, is this mission and dream worth losing a couple hours of sleep today? Well, heck yeah!! I'd give up a week of sleep if it meant that at the end of that week we'd have our dream in hand!!! I believe in my husband and what he is doing. So, in support of that (actions speak VOLUMES!), I got up, put on my heavy, warm robe, made the bed, and went into the other room, and was able to celebrate growth and advances that he had made during the night!

I could list everything we are doing without, or "missing out on," but, honestly, that's just complaining. We live like we want to live; we are both home, enjoying life and each other. All those "have nots" will later become "haves." Yes, sometimes it does feel like we are in our own personal season of Survivor (except for the becoming emaciated part), but it's worth it. ALL of it is worth it.

The tribe has spoken.