I love Fort Collins. It is probably my favorite city in the entire world. Certainly, of all the places to live in Colorado, it’s my top pick.
I commuted to school and work there for 3 years. It’s a larger city, but with a small town feel. It has lots to do, but is also small enough/isolated enough it’s not overwhelming. And it’s a pretty humble city too, which is a breath of fresh air compared to places like Boulder and Denver.
I’ve spent years thinking about and wishing and hoping and … dreaming … about living in Fort Collins. I think it’s a great city. And as much as I like towns like Louisville, I’d take Fort Collins any day.
But as I was driving around Fort Collins yesterday, I began to realize: that’s a dream I’ll probably never get to live. As much as I look at houses at the edge of town with big yards and lots of space. As much as I covet penthouse suites overlooking downtown. As much as I just wish I could live there, I realized: it’s a dream that needs to die. At least, for now. And for this season of life.
We all have those dreams. When I was a kid, I wanted to be at various times: a cop, a firefighter, an astronaut, a racecar driver, a jet pilot, an eccentric millionaire (I got the eccentric part down, but when you’re not rich, it’s just described as being weird), and a super hero. (I still run around in my underwear and a cape before bed)
Today, I spend most of my time sitting in front of a box, pressing buttons. For almost all of my waking hours. My dreams and my reality didn’t ever completely line up.
We all have dreams. And some dreams are worth fighting for, they’re worth chasing, they’re worth pursuing with every fiber of our being.
But we also have to understand that some dreams … they just … they just aren’t. And it’s hard, and it’s painful, and it hurts, but sometimes some dreams just aren’t ever going to be reality.
What dreams are we chasing that we shouldn’t be? When should we stop running around in our underwear and a cape?
What kind of new, God-inspired and God-blessed dreams will we start to have when we realize our dreams are too small?
I’m killing the Fort Collins dream. I love that city, and I will visit often, but I have too many good friends. Too many great things happening. Too much of a great church and community. Too much is happening here for me to be off in day-dream world. The Fort Collins dream must die.
And in its place, God can help me dream bigger dreams that he has for me.