We plan our lives according to a dream that came to us in our childhood, and we find that life alters our plans. And yet, at the end, from a rare height, we also see that our dream was our fate. It’s just that providence had other ideas as to how we would get there. Destiny plans a different route, or turns the dream around, as if it were a riddle, and fulfills the dream in ways we couldn’t have expected. ~ Ben Okri
I had this rare privilege of being able to pursue in my adult life, what had been my childhood dream. ~ Andrew Wiles
I LOVE the quote above from Ben Okri – it is so true. Our childhood dreams often are fulfilled in ways we do not expect. I have enjoyed watching my own life unfold and having the opportunity to see my childhood dreams manifest themselves in ways I never thought possible. I dreamed of a loving family, but never expected the family I have now – who are a gift to me. I dreamed of adopting children, but never expected that my children would come from two different countries, that one would be adopted at age 5, and that both would bring so much joy and richness to my life.
Today, 108 days ’til 40, I am so happy that my childhood dreams were not fulfilled as I had envisioned back then but have found myself on a different path full of wonderful surprises and blessings.
~400daystil40
Fortuitous Forty!!! 
buckwheatsrisk
November 5, 2012 at 00:15
what a wonderful gift!
400daystil40
November 5, 2012 at 19:26
Yes!
deWriterMD
November 5, 2012 at 00:56
Reblogged this on MetaRead360 Small Press presents and commented:
NOTE: The key here is to never give up on any of your dreams…they’re what keep life interesting!
400daystil40
November 5, 2012 at 19:26
🙂
Spider42
November 5, 2012 at 07:55
Nice post and nice choices of quotes.
I do somewhat agree with what you’re saying here but I’m a little more fluid on the destiny and path concept, I tend to think it’s more chaotic than we realise and though we tend to like the idea of “meant to be”, sometimes it’s all a matter of perspective.
Like my favourite Proust line:
“The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
Which is essentially about our world view evolving and growing as we do as people over time. Even a thing like love and family and what not, we can plan for anything, but you never know what you’re gonna get (couldn’t bring myself to retype that and quote Gump there, nope, not doing it.). My personal acquiescing to the idea of destiny at all tends to be closed to this though:
“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have found where I needed to be.”
– Douglas Adams.
And yeah, I use that quote a lot. A lot. It pisses people off sometimes. 🙂
400daystil40
November 5, 2012 at 19:25
Thank you!!! I LOAVE the quotes you added and I am embarrassed that I did not use the Proust quote – it is one of my favorites and I LOVE it!
Spider42
November 6, 2012 at 09:07
You’re most welcome. 😉
The Quiet Borderline (back in hospital)
November 5, 2012 at 08:42
Having BPD, I have a lack of sense of self and never had any dreams or goals I wanted to attain in my life. I feel very empty.
My dream is that one day I will have dreams that I will chase!
400daystil40
November 5, 2012 at 19:25
I hope that your dream of dreams comes true!
mskatykins
November 5, 2012 at 13:11
Thank you for reminding me that I still need to read ‘The Famished Road’. 🙂
400daystil40
November 5, 2012 at 19:24
🙂
gillbrazier
November 5, 2012 at 13:19
Interesting quote from Ben Okri 🙂 Thank you.
400daystil40
November 5, 2012 at 19:23
You are welcome!
kenthinksaloud
November 5, 2012 at 14:35
Very true. If only more people appreciated how much we chase our childhood dreams and so how that makes our childhood so very important. Not something to be rushed, used or abused 🙂
400daystil40
November 5, 2012 at 19:22
Yes, exactly!
Long Life Cats and Dogs
November 5, 2012 at 15:34
How wonderful that you adopted two children. Two children who can now have a blessed life with you. What countries did they come from?
400daystil40
November 5, 2012 at 19:22
My girls are from Ethiopia and China (a common combination these days!)
Another Thousand Words
November 5, 2012 at 18:39
May the dreams never cease for you, 400…and for your family!
400daystil40
November 5, 2012 at 19:21
Thank you!!!
Another Thousand Words
November 5, 2012 at 22:02
:>) !!!
viveka
November 8, 2012 at 13:41
Totally agree with you here … same with me – all my dreams I had … have I been able to make into reality. I think it’s our subconscious that drives us .. because I haven’t amid for any goals or worked hard to get to where I been.
400daystil40
November 8, 2012 at 23:45
Good point… I agree completely. Our subconscious can be very powerful.