This quote was chosen for the start of our journey because there are many different ways to interpret its meaning and I feel it fits many of us so well, from those attempting the challenge to better themselves and reach their dreams, or those of us who are choosing a dream of a life with their SO and therefore standing by them as they are deployed or even the SOs themselves, who dream of a particular life for their family or dreams for their country and the sacrifices they make for those dreams.
In the first instance, the quote is a challenge to me (and hopefully for you) as part of the D3Y challenge. I do dream, that one day I will be healthy and thin, and need to remember that there is a price to pay to achieve that dream: I need to work hard, give up free time, social time, social and unhealthy activities. I need to make changes and sacrifice some things for the greater cause. I will need to feel the pain and the burn and I will need to push and challenge myself constantly to reach that goal, that dream. But from that, I will find happiness.
The other way this quote affects me is in relationship to my SO. I am happy, I know that, because I have a dream of being with him and I am willing to sacrifice what is necessary to be with him. I will wait (as so many other lovers have) the endless months alone without communication, without certainty or promises or guarantees. I will worry endlessly if he is alright. As military loved ones—spouses, significant others, family and friends—we will sacrifice so much for that dream of love and happiness, a dream that may never come true. But how happy are we once we finally decide that the dream is worth the risks?
I like to think too, that this is how the military service members think too. You don’t join the military on a whim—and the draft is not currently around so everyone in the service now typically joined on their own free will. With that in mind, it takes a lot to say you want to put yourself through what they go through, for a cause bigger than self. I like to think that they do so to follow some dream—a dream of American freedom, peace and protection, a dream of education, a dream of financial stability for their family—there are many dreams to choose from, but I have never met an unhappy service member who has made the choice to chase those dreams, even knowing the sacrifices that will be made.
Happiness is something that I am striving to harness. I believe I am happy now, but I want to be happy always. With that in mind, I know my dreams and I am chasing them…and I am ready to pay the price to make those dreams come true. Are you?
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