When Andy and I were dating I remember going on an enlightening walk together. At the beginning of the walk Andy was talking about how cool it would be to redo a motorhome and move to Florida for the winters. By the end of the walk, he was raving about Alaska and how much untouched wilderness remained up there, and wouldn’t it be fun to live there?
As a new girlfriend I wasn’t sure how to handle the pendulum swing of ideas that are such a part of living with a dreamer/adventurer for a husband. Many days I still feel like I have a lot to learn on that score, and when Andy comes home talking about commercial fishing, and how it could be a great income for us, I have to bite my tongue. Inwardly I think of the months at a time that commercial fishermen spend on the water away from their families. I think of all the boating accidents I’ve heard about, and how rough the sea can get.
Slowly I’m learning that many dreams are just that – dreams. And so if he is all excited about buying a bus and re-doing the interior so we can road trip all over Alaska, my job is not to worry about where the money would come from, or to practically point out that a project like that would take well over a year to complete in the evenings and on the weekends. No, my job as his wife, as his helper, is to dream alongside him. To realize that this may not even happen, and if it does, we can worry about it then. To jump into his dream and look up diy bus projects on YouTube, or suggest places it would be fun to visit.
Earlier this year Andy’s dream was to go gold prospecting. We all watched videos on gold panning, and Andy searched where in Alaska you could legally stake a claim. We took note of a boulder strewn beach one time when we were exploring the coast and vowed to come back with a metal detector. The children picked up yellow rocks and asked, “Is this gold?”
Because when Daddy is dreaming of adventure we all do our best to join in that dream.
Last week Andy came home with a metal detector he found at a yard sale. We may be doing some prospecting in the near future.
This post made me laugh… I can so relate! And then these visionary men end up with wives that are practical, organized planners who like their ducks in a row and somehow it works!
Yes!!!
Is that Mt. Denali in the distance? Your pictures bring back memories. I would love to take my family on a trip to AK, but sort of doubt if it will happen. It’s fun to dream! At least dreams don’t cost anything if they just stay dreams!
That’s mount Redoubt across the inlet close to our house. You’re right! It doesn’t cost to dream!