As I look at the photo of that young bride, I think about how very little she knew. She began with such hopes, dreams and impossible standards. Despite all that I have learned and misunderstood, deep down I am thankful that young woman was so idealistic, and so attached to her dreams. If she had not been would I be here now, knowing what I know? Would I have survived all I have survived? Broken dreams hurt…but they also are a symbol that I had the courage to dream and the courage to hope. Discovering that the man I married was not the man I dreamed of, but a flesh and blood person who was as flawed as I was, meant finally setting sail in the reality of human love. Yes, I have loved him poorly at times, as he has loved me poorly, and yet here we are knowing each other like no one else knows us. I have been far from the perfect wife, but I have loved my best…and it has cost me and also given me much. Often I come across that question, if you could tell your younger self one thing, what would you say. This morning I have flipped that question. If my younger self could tell my current self one thing, I think it would be, “Continue to dream until your last breath.”[https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/afde0992-d968-4a18-9f6c-e26dab6c2540/dg11ecx-d7f7b245-9871-46f7-aa5a-6932dc13932b.jpg/v1/fill/w_894,h_894,q_70,strp/work_in_progress_by_cerealnovels_dg11ecx-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTI4MCIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2FmZGUwOTkyLWQ5NjgtNGExOC05ZjZjLWUyNmRhYjZjMjU0MFwvZGcxMWVjeC1kN2Y3YjI0NS05ODcxLTQ2ZjctYWE1YS02OTMyZGMxMzkzMmIuanBnIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.5vKhZKfuu53qWBgsiJWUwY5r3atCmYCuDIVufLw6qjY]

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