Yep, that's my original quote. Dreams have no expiration date. Most everything in our world now has an expiration date. Just look on the packaging of everything from foods to beauty products and household goods. Good until 'xxxx'. Now, don't get me wrong. We need this on some products. But, I don't think we need that expiration date on dreams when it comes to humans However, more folks than not think that applies to people, too. But, I defy that thinking!
The Power of Dreaming
Y'all know dreaming and the power it has. When we were little kids, we had these vivid technicolor imaginations that we called dreaming. We'd fancy ourselves to do about anything and become whatever we could think we could be. From super heroes, athletes and chefs to singers movie stars and world renowned doctors. Somewhere along the road of life, we got body slammed and stopped believing that anything is possible after a 'certain age'. Yes, most anything is about possible, no matter what age. Yeah, yeah we have to be within reason. I mean if I'm 90 I might not be able to win the Boston Marathon no matter how hard I train (unless there's a 90 year-old category and I just might start training!). But, most of our dreams can happen with hard work, teams of support and the belief that you can reach that pinnacle.
For some people, the later years are like having a dimmer on life. Things start to 'fade'. You lose that energy to keep fires kindled and dreams igniting and growing. But, you don't have to accept that. Just because you're a certain age doesn't mean you can dream and make things happen, search for new frontiers, journey into those new places of your world that you think you might want to explore. And, these dreams don't have to be the grandiose ones of our youth. They're simply benchmarks and challenges we give ourselves that keep us moving towards a goal. Goals are what make life interesting. So, whether it's the dream of dressing in leather pants, boots and a jacket at the age of 70 or sky diving, I say make it happen.
Dreaming Support
That's exactly how this dream of mine came about. I found it on the website 'Dream Jobbing'. It was for the 'Best Home Cook', and it was the chance to cook for a week on a national TV show produced by the Hallmark Channel. Home & Family TV is a two-hour daily (five days a week) show about everything from food, DIY to landscaping, decorating, entertaining and more. It's for me the morning TODAY, CBS Morning Show or Good Morning American minus the news and weather. So, I threw my hat in the ring. Now, I knew I'd probably be one of the 'most mature' as in chrono age applying. But, that didn't deter me from entering. Nothing better than decades of experience cooking and serving thousands of family and friends to be considered 'best home cook'.
The entire process of this 'dream' was a lot of work. It required immense time and unbelievable support. I was fortunate enough to get that support from my social media family. Yes, many of them who know me only as 'Ally' of Ally's Kitchen. Most have never met me in person. Never tasted my food. But, they believed in me. They love what I have done to inspire them in the kitchen and with entertaining, so they jumped on my dream wagon and were instrumental in getting me to be named one of the six finalists on the show.
What happened for the nearly ten days I spent in Los Angeles filming the show and competing was surely a 'dream'. But, no, it was real! I appeared on the show twice. Once solo as me cooking and presenting my Croatian Cheesecake. Then on the second episode in a 'cook off' with the other five finalists. Although I didn't win, and, yes, I was disappointed, I still considered myself a winner. So many of you sent beautiful messages to me regarding the show and what I did. It just made me glow and sparkle knowing that my peeps had devoured and enjoyed this magic carpet ride as much as I had.
Risky Business
Making dreams come true means risking. Risking is scary. You don't know what can or will happen. You can't precisely predict. But, it's always worth the exposure and chance because it's more about the journey there. The memories that are made, the friendships that are created, the new world that you 'see', and for me, it was on the set, behind-the-scenes at Universal Studios and meeting the co-founder of Dream Jobbing are all totally worth the 'risk'. Had I not taken the risk, I'd not have any of this to write about with you.
My sincere loving and passionate wish for you is to embrace the belief that 'dreams have no expiration date'. Go out there and grab what you want. Make it happen. The hardest part is that first step. And, whatever happens after that, consider yourself brave, daring and winning because you didn't stand on the sideline of life. You jumped into the arena. And, that's where life happens.
