Everyone has dreams right? Some are big, some are small, some are crazy, and some are actually pretty simple. My biggest dream falls in the kind of crazy category. Only a few people actually know what that dream is, because I’m pretty hesitant to tell people. I wasn’t afraid to tell anyone for the longest time, until I told a friend in high school and he laughed at me and told me that I could dream it, but it would never happen. This person was really close to me at the time, and it really hurt my feelings that he didn’t think I would be able to achieve something if I wanted to. Well, I say jokes on him. Because of him, and people like him, who have told me I can’t do something, I’m going to try that much harder to prove them wrong. It still may never happen, who knows, but I’m not going to quit trying just because some butthead doesn’t believe in my capabilities. 

Are you wondering what that dream is? No? Then stop reading, because I’m going to tell you anyway! I want to be a writer. You may have guessed that when I started this blog. I use this as weekly practice to get ideas out, and feedback on my writing skills, and also just because I love any excuse to sit down and empty all the thoughts that are packed inside my head. My goal is to someday quit my day job and get paid to write stories. My ultimate goal, (the goal that got laughed at) is to see my stories on the big screen. I would love to write a book–preferably many books–that become popular enough to be turned into a movie, and everyone is lined up at the theater the second it comes out so they can be the first to see it. Like I said, it’s a borderline crazy dream; but I want it, and I’m going to keep trying until I’m physically not capable of doing so anymore.

This dream of mine has been with me since I was in the 5th grade. My 5th grade teacher had us do all these creative writing projects, and I quickly realized how much I loved them. They didn’t seem like work because I just had so much fun coming up with stories all the time. My teacher also raved about my writing, even in parent teacher conferences, I remember her telling my parents how much she loved my writing. At first, I thought maybe she was telling everyone that, and I didn’t really feel all that special. Until, one day she told the class she was going to read aloud one of the stories I wrote because that’s how much she loved it. Mine was the only one she ever read aloud. I’m not trying to toot my own horn or anything, this was just the earliest memory I have of my dream starting. This is when I thought maybe this is something I could do. 

Ever since then, I’ve been taking every opportunity I could to write. I was on the newspaper staff in high school, and took a bunch of creative writing courses as well. I even had one teacher who had emailed me saying she really enjoyed my work, and to remember her when I’m famous! When I started college, I was going to study Journalism, and was on the newspaper staff at George Mason for a semester before I realized I really didn’t like it that much. I enjoyed writing for the paper, but it was hard to get motivated to write about topics I wasn’t interested in, so I took a different path and studied English for a while. I really, really enjoyed taking the English classes, but since I didn’t want to be a teacher, didn’t know what else I would do with that degree, and realized I could really become a writer with any kind of degree, I decided to study business so I would have something useful to fall back on if my writing career never took off.

Now, I’ve had this dream since 5th grade, but I have nothing to show for it. Nothing has come from it–yet. Besides a couple of short stories that eventually hit a dead end, I haven’t been doing as much writing as I would like to. For a period, this goal of mine was put on the back burner, and I used the excuses that I was too busy or too tired to sit down and write. When I got frustrated with something at work, I would always tell myself: “Well, someday I’m going to be a writer and be my own boss and I won’t have to worry about this or that anymore.” But I obviously can’t become a writer if I’m not writing! I eventually kicked myself in the butt, and told myself that if this was something I really wanted, I needed to sit down and put in the work. Just because I want something, doesn’t mean that it’s going to happen. I needed to start doing something about it.

I hope to have something to show for my hard work very soon! I’ve been working on something for a couple of months now, and I am very close to being done with the first draft. I’m extremely excited to see where this goes. Even if it goes nowhere, it’ll be a learning experience, and I will know what to improve on for the future. Because like I said, I’m not going to quit trying! I may have fallen off the wagon for a short while, but now that I’m back on, I’m not going anywhere soon. All of the teachers, and family and friends who have encouraged me to follow my dreams, I thank you!! It is because of you that I have so much faith in myself, and I truly believe that someday I can accomplish this. 

I hope all of you have the courage and willpower to follow your dreams as well. If you also have some butthead in your life who tells you you can’t do something, then get rid of them! Surround yourself with people who will build you up instead of bring you down. The guy I mentioned above is no longer a part of my life, and for good reason. I don’t need that kind of negativity bringing me down. Surround yourself with people who will encourage you no matter how crazy those dreams get! And if you can’t find anyone who will, come to me. We can support each other.

Happy dreaming and I’ll see y’all next time! 🙂

Megan Reiffenberger