I just watched The Astronaut Farmer  

I dreamt to get a Masters and finally got it in 1989 it sure was difficult but worth all the hard work to obtain it.

Gee, that sounds like the review I posted after I saw the movie months ago.

http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/794695.aspx

I think mostly I pushed down and denied my dream. It seems like the areas where I have the most skill and ability, the areas that could have made a professional career for me, were the areas that I claimed to dislike, that I said I would never do.I work in those areas now, but without the degree that would validate me. I made an attempt at a dream as an adult, but the time was not right. Right now I am running, putting one foot in front of the other, trying to catch up with my life, it has been getting away.

I have had several dreams or things that I wanted to do. I wanted to be a teacher. That one I completed. I have been a teacher for 25 years. I wanted to be a writer. I have had 3 short stories published for which I was paid. That has been fulfilling. Not a full time writer but at least I did get something published. I am married which was another dream. I have two adult children which was another dream. One daughter and one son. I do have a list of other things that I am working on completing. It is never too late to realize your dreams. Grandma Moses did not start painting until she was 65. Others have started new things later in life also. So, as long as I can breathe, I plan on working towards fulfilling my dreams.

I have always been open to the possibilities in my life. Right now I put one foot down after another since I am stuck in the city and must sell my property. I will forego my dream for now and get back to it whenever I can. Hopefully soon since the internet is becoming too big for me. I like it as a tool and not big part of my day. You still could do something along the lines of a dream you may have had.

I wish you luck in making a short list and trying to accomplish what would make your heart sing. Keep me posted!!

Great. I am a Billy Bob fan and have wanted to see this movie. Now I know I will. I had dreams many decades ago that somehow got lost in the every day drudgery of life. But, in the last few years, I have created a whole new set of dreams for myself. This time, I know much more about how to make them come true. I have vowed to never give up this time. This is am excellent topic. And an inspiration to all of us dreamers.

I never had a "big dream". Perhaps inconsciously I didn't dare to have one. I just had many "little dreams". Some of them I fulfilled. Most I didn't. Perhaps I still can reach some of them. Your discussion may help me to do it.

Yes I followed my dream, I have always wanted to become a nurse. I became a nurse and I worked 20 years in our local hospital helping our community. Eleven of thoes 20 years I worked as a floor nurse first as an LVN or LPN in other states and as an RN. IN 1997 I transfered down into our local sleep lab. I learned to do sleep studies. It is mostly self taught and co-worker taught. In 1999 I took the test to become a registered sleep technologiest. Most people have to take the test two or more times to pass it, I took it once and passed it. I think having taken my LVN borads and my RN boards helped me take the sleep test regeistery and pass it once. IN 2000 I was promoted to the sleep lab supervisor where I worked until I became to ill to work any longer. My continued goal was to get my bachelors degree in business management. I had to quit because of my health issues. I would be almost finished with school now if it was not for my illness, I would still be working also.
Another one of my dreams was to be married and have children. I am still married to the same man I married September 17, 1977 and we have two children they are 29 and 26. Our children are great, hard working adults. I am very proud of both of them.
The two things I told myself I would never do that I did do was 1) Get pregnant before marriage yes I got pregnant the night of my high school graduation. Our daughter is my husbands. and 2) I would not get fat like my mother. I did that also. I have not gotten as fat as her, I am obese I have been working on losing weight. I have lost 92lbs in the last two years. I have done it by dieting and it has been very hard. I am still smaller than my mom. hahaha.

I really enjoyed that movie. We just watched it the other night. It does make you think about your dreams and what dream you would like to persue. Sometimes it is good to look outside the the routine....

I had some dreams when I was a kid and a teen and looking back on this time I can only say its not only a disadvantage when your dreams dont come true.
One of my dreams was to be an interpreter or translator for the English language. Nearly everyone is taught English in school now and speaking this language well is no longer extraordinary. I could not have gotten a job in that career anymore. My other dream was to be a female pastor, but I would have had to leave the Catholic Church and become Protestant then (what I did some years later for other reasons).
I have lost my faith of these days back then long ago and would have gone shipwrecked so to say realizing that I cant preach and perform these clerical duties anymore with no faith backing it up-

so I think the unexpected turns and cul de sacs in my life have served a purpose. I am not super successful but I make a living with what I do and its good the way it is.