I ran into a colleague I don’t often see while at the coffee shop on campus. We chatted a little bit about what we each had going on, his son’s recent birthday, my grad classes. As we parted ways, he said to me how happy he was to see me pursuing my dreams. And for some reason, that was jarring to me. It sounded foreign and I realized that I don’t think of it that way. In my mind, I’m just doing what I’m doing. Working, trying to keep on top of house management, animal management, kid management, a social life and taking classes. Of course, in all this, I have a goal for myself. I want to succeed at all of it, excel if I’m honest. I want to get my Masters and teach again. I want a nice house and sweet pets and great kids. Good, lasting relationships with my boyfriend and friends. I want the things everyone wants, a happy life. But somehow chasing a dream seems like naivety. Something that disappeared a long time ago and is no longer in the equation of daily survival. Pursue your dreams is what we tell high school students when they graduate. What new college students cling to. As an adult, it doesn’t seem like there’s time for that anymore. What a shame. I need to change my thinking. I’m grateful for that reminder.