A few months ago, I entered a contest to win and Inn and Restaurant. Surprise, surprise- we didn't win.
Or did we?
For years my husband and I dreamed of owning a B&B, complete with a little cafe on the side to give guests breakfast and to serve the locals some good food picked fresh from the local farms. Great dream. But when things started to become a reality, we had to give the idea some serious thought.
Did we really want 'company' over every night for at least six to nine months of the year? Then run and serve in a restaurant all year long on top of it? At first the idea had merit, but then as we came down to the wire of the contest, I started feeling more stressed than happy.
Maybe my dreams changed.
We'd been dreaming this since we were married eighteen years ago. Eighteen years ago we had more energy (and let's face it- more money) and no kids. Eighteen years ago this dream could have been a reality- but now?
I like being home by myself during the day. I like having my family sit and watch a movie marathon on the weekends. The cookouts. The impromptu invites because we had an open day. Laying on the couch for a nap because I can. None of this could happen if we had an Inn. Some of it couldn't happen if we had a restaurant either, but at least we'd have our house to ourselves when we went home after work.
Dreams do change.
I'm no spring chicken. Inns take more work than I'm willing to do. A restaurant, however, is right up out alley- as long as we aren't feeding the patrons of the Mall of America. A small cafe would be perfect for us.
I'd still write and do all the other things I love- just not as often. And I can collapse on the couch at the end of the day with my kids and husband using me as a community pillow. I like that dream better.
We didn't win, but yet we did. Cool, huh?
Have you had dreams that have changed? What was your dream and what is it now? Go over your dreams from years ago and see if they need tweaking- you might be surprised!
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