Credit: Paramount Pictures
When Forrest sees Jenny playing the guitar and singing Bob Dylan’s Blowin’ In The Wind in the sleazy Memphis strip joint, he says tenderly in a voiceover, “Her dream had come true. She was a folk singer.”
So what happens next?
Jenny gets harassed by the guys in the front row, has a confrontation with Forrest on stage, ends up storming off the stage, flags down a passing truck, and asks the driver:
Jenny: Can I have a ride?
Driver: Where you going?
Jenny: I don’t care.
Doesn’t seem like much glory in that dream coming true for Jenny.
Here is my take on dreaming, having your dreams come true, and most importantly … living your dream.
What do you think most of these people did when they accomplished a specific dream or goal?
My guess is they celebrated. They probably took one, two, or maybe even five minutes for small victories. They might have celebrated bigger accomplishments for a lunch hour with colleagues, or an evening out with a significant other, or maybe even the whole weekend with family.
What happened next?
I suppose they got back to doing the hard work of living, working, and chasing another dream.
It occurs to me that the dream, while absolutely necessary, probably isn’t the ultimate source of our happiness. The living that occurs while going after the dream seems more satisfying.
Jenny clearly enjoyed the moment she was singing on stage … but there was no glory after the singing stopped.
Having any single dream come true is likely a high for a few minutes to a couple of days at most. After that, it’s back to work … back to living.
Living your dream day in and day out is real freedom.
Living your dream day in and day out is the richness of life.
Living your dream day in and day out is a dream come true.
Next Blog Title: Profiles of Gumption – Gary’s World Trade Center Story
Next Blog Date: September 9, 2011