As I sit here a few hours away from a Thanksgiving feast with my in-laws I've been reflecting on where my life has taken me and and where it may lead in the future.
My life isn't the way I planned it or envisioned it growing up, but I'm the better for it. I always dreamed I'd have an adventurous life with very few roots to hold me to one spot, and I didn't plan on having anyone depend on me that I would possibly disappoint or let down if things went badly for me.
Instead I'm married, have a wonderful son, a mortgage on a nice house, a job I enjoy and all the happier for it. Sure I wonder where life would have led down the other path, but I'm happy if the only thing I have to run from is the throw from a first baseman in my softball league who couldn't hit a barn if he were standing inside it. Call me old fashion but I enjoy being the primary provider for my wife and son, and the knowledge that I make enough to allow my wife to stay home and raise Alex. If she wanted to work outside the home (note I didn't leave it at work, she works much longer hours than I do.)
If more nights than not I'm in bed by 10:30 pm, and get daily reports of how many times someone went pee-pee and poo-poo in the potty that's ok. There are many who are living what was once their dream but has now become their nightmare. With my back and knees I doubt I'd have lasted very long in either of the two main careers I remember dreaming about; rodeo clown, and police officer.
It's funny as I was growing up dreaming of adventure I always had a mental image of my brother being the home-body who settled down close to where we were raised, got married and raised a family while I was the free spirit who traveled the world. Adam has been to more countries and continents than I probably ever will, he served in the military, has done mission work and generally had more adventures in his 26 years than I will likely have in my lifetime. Yet I honestly wouldn't change lives with him if someone magically gave me the chance.
I'm thankful for the life I have and how it's turned out so far.
