Our dreams often come true in disguise

(words from a wise friend)

Long-time Bristol attorney and my personal friend, Frank Winston (now in his 90s), visited my home one day several years ago and said to me, “You know, Ben, we all get pretty much what we want in life, in the end. The thing is that what we want often comes true in disguise, so most of us never recognize it, and don’t get to appreciate it, when it happens.”

I’ve thought about that for years now. And I’ve become a believer.

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When I was a child back in elementary school, my top “life goals” were: 1 – Become an astronaut (typical American boy of the ‘60s). 2 – Go discover interesting stuff all over the world (as an archaeologist). 3 - Be a war hero. 4 – Climb Mount Everest.

My mom and dad never told me, even once, that I couldn’t do any of that stuff. In fact, they told me they were sure that I would. Some day. Some way.

By the time I’d reached my late teens, my top three life goals “appeared” to change somewhat: 1 - Play in the Masters Golf Tournament. 2 – Hike the Appalachian Trail. 3 – Climb Mount Everest.

Eventually some of those were “seemingly” replaced in my early 30s: 1 - Raise my children to be compassionate, kind, and hard-working. 2 – Become a teacher and make it my life’s passion. 3 – Climb Mount Everest.

Eventually, I added a 4th goal - Help as many jail inmates, prostitutes, homeless folks, and drug addicts as I possibly can.

There’s something miraculous about a self-fulfilling prophecy … the “picturing” of ourselves doing something in the future, in our mind’s eye, day after day, year after year … until it eventually comes true.