Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Carmella on September 5, 2008 at 6:31pm

I love the metaphor

Permalink Reply by kastababy on October 19, 2008 at 11:54am

Ten years ago, I would have never dreamed that my father would die suddenly and without warning. I never would have imagined that I would be the aunt of two nieces and a nephew within a 4-year period, or that my brother would be the first one of all of us to get married! I always imagined that by the time I was 30 I would be done with school for once and for all and that I would be having the career I always wanted. The reality is that I'm a couple of years away from finishing law school, I have the man of my dreams (finally!), and I am 7 years into living life without my best friend Daddy. What will I be doing in 10 more years? Hopefully raising a baby of my own with the love of my life and doing the best I can with the cards I've been dealt!

Permalink Reply by Margie on October 19, 2008 at 7:32pm

Ten years ago I had one baby and never imagined having three. I never imagined how much love and joy my children would bring to me...that they would be the main purpose of my life. They are my 3 loves! Ten years ago I believed I would be very successful in the marriage and perhaps less successful in my career. That has definately changed. I now own a fairly large corporation but my marriage couldn't be a lot less happy. Not that the career changed the marriage, just that I think I grew up and the other half didn't feel a need to. I would have never imagined being married and being the sole support of my family both emotionally as well as financially. It's heavy to carry on your own, especially when you aren't technically on your own. In the next 10 years I plan on finding a way to add a little more joy to my life. Perhaps being slightly more selfish and finding time for me. I dream of the time that I will be less worried about what others will think, and find a way to move on with my life. Perhaps I will value myself enough to look for my own happiness I can't remember the last time I really did something for me. I currently have a "mom-mobil" but hope to add to it the sports car of my dreams. My kids will be moving into college and I will be missing them. I am currently going through a mid-life crisis (if you can't tell already) - if the guys can have them then we can blame stuff on the too, right? :) I am going to go skydiving (already have the ticket) and am going to make sure that the second half of my life is lived to the fullest filled with my wonderful family, great friends and lots of love and laughter.

Permalink Reply by Cat on October 21, 2008 at 2:09am

My life has gone completely insane the past 10 years. I was really ill ten years ago, with what turned out to be a combination of endocrine and autoimmune disorders. I was in college and struggling because I felt horrible. I thought I'd end up going to medical school or getting a higher degree in biology, but neither of those things have happened! I also thought I would be living in New York City. Sadly (or maybe not) I actually live in the same city I did 10 years ago, though I moved away for a while.

I'm also attending the same university, but as a graduate student. I thought I'd be done with school by now, but I'm 30 and have several months to go, if not more. It's okay, though. I've had a lot of struggle, but I definitely learned a lot more than I would have otherwise.

In ten years, I hope to be done with school for good (no, really) and in a stable job. I'd like to write a book sometime in the next ten years. Actually, I kind of thought I'd have one written by 30, but I guess I just didn't have enough bad stuff happen to me to write a book about until now :D

Permalink Reply by Amber on October 23, 2008 at 12:47am

ten years ago i was 14 so i didn't have many life goals yet. I had no idea that i would ever go to college or even make it through high school. I moved across the country when i was 15 definitely never expected tat. didn't know my home would be ripped to shreds by hurricane Katrina. but I have learned alot in the past ten years. In the next ten years who freakin knows. i just go with the flow now.. i don't make any plans. that's terrible but things never turn out the way i want so no point in making plans for anything.

Permalink Reply by Tony on November 10, 2008 at 6:23am

10 years...an entire decade. 10 years ago I was in a marriage I thought would never end with a woman I loved more than words could describe. 10 years ago, I spent each day beholding the wonder of my two young children as experienced the world as only a child can. 10 years ago I was working my way to the top of a dreamcareer. So to answer the question...no, this is not were I thought I would be. "If you want to hear God laugh tell him your plans"...he was spliting a side when I told him mine.

I never thought my wife would leave me for another...I knew my children would grow but I had hoped it would be a long time off...I never thought that I would be forced to give up what I was meant to do on this Earth. That said, 10 years ago I never dreamed I would have the chance to begin again...a 'do over' if you will. Randy Pausch said in his Last Lecture, "We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." I wish Mr Paush was here today so I could thank him for that advice. Things change for a reason...I'm just not always clear what that reason is.

10 years from now, I may be bouncing grandkids on my knee. I hope to be retired from the rat race as there are still plenty of lakes I haven't fish, woods I haven't hiked and people I've yet to met. With any luck, I'll be somewhat the wiser and find a way to see the world through the eyes of a child once again...

Permalink Reply by ronda on April 19, 2009 at 1:50am

HI CARMELLA, THATS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION, I MADE ALOT OF WRONG CHOICES , I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ASHAMED OF HAVING ALOPECIA, 20 YEARS AGO I WAS IN THE ARMY RESERVES AND WAS CONSIDERING GOING ACTIVE BUT I BEGAN LOSING ALOT OF MY HAIR AND IT AFFECTED MY SELFESTEEM TO THE POINT THAT I SHYED AWAY FROM LIFE. AND I DIDN'T MAKE GOOD CHOICES FOR MYSELF. HOWEVER I'M NOT THE SAME PERSON I WAS 10 YEARS AGO. I'M MUCH MORE MATURE AND I KNOW WHAT I WANT NOW . IN THE NEAR FUTURE I AM PLANNING TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND FURTHER MY EDUCATION, I WOULD LIKE TO OWN MY HOUSE , AND TRAVEL MORE , I HAVE A PLAN AND I BELIEVE IT WILL WORK OUT, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL YOU THIS 10 YEARS AGO.

Permalink Reply by Jennifer on July 27, 2009 at 2:40pm

That's a great question. 10 years ago I had big plans to go into biological research, now I teach Latin (and love it). I had no idea I would go from having 1 niece to having 11 nieces and nephews (so far) but I would have believed it - I have quite a few older siblings. If someone had told me 10 years ago that I would lose my hair, I probably would have thought I couldn't handle it. However, if I was told 10 years ago that I would lose my best friend to cancer first, I would have chosen not to believe it. After that, losing my hair seemed like nothing (comparatively speaking).

Now the 10 years from now idea is really fun to think of - in 10 years I hope to have gone back to school to complete a PhD, but I would not be surprised to find myself still teaching middle school Latin after that. Also in 10 years I hope to have at least one or two kids of my own, possibly more. And a dog of course.

Jennifer