Daydreaming & Living

Left: In a high school rodeo. Right: After speaking in Philadelphia.

When the snow melted in the spring, I’d sit in school and look out the window daydreaming about hiking, camping, riding my horse through the mountains, and being anywhere but a classroom. My dream was to own a small ranch and be a professional bull rider. I swore I’d never go to college.

A friend persuaded me to go to junior college in a small town promising I could continue to do the stupid things I’d done in high school. Fortunately, despite my intentions, I ran into some good influences. College changed me.

After two years as a Christian missionary in England, I returned to college but in a larger town. I was walking across campus with a friend one day, when I asked him, “What are you going to do when you grow up?”

“I’m going to be a doctor,” he said, matter-of-factly, like I should know. His dad was a doctor. He’d always planned on doing the same.

At the time, I had no idea what I would do after university. I thought for a few moments. I looked at him and said, “That sounds interesting. Maybe I’ll try that.” That was my momentous decision. Five years later, I graduated medical school. Three years after that, I finished my residency.

Sometimes, in the ER, I’d daydream about hiking, camping, and riding my horse through the mountains. Sometimes, today, I still daydream about the same things.

I’ve been married for 35 years. I have five kids and six grandkids. I’ve done a lot of hiking, camping and horseback riding in between all the other aspects of my life.

Daydreaming is good. Living is better. Doing both is magical. Do both.