Seeing My Blind Spots

He had all the makings of a superstar--at least, he thought he did. He grew up a dreamer, seeing himself making the big catch for the winning touchdown, or running the race of a lifetime to win the gold medal. No such opportunities ever presented themselves, though it wasn't for lack of trying. He just never seemed to get the breaks when he needed them.

As a teen, and later a brash young adult, the dreaming boiled over into a cocky ambition that had lost touch with reality. What was really at the core of it, all along, was a longing for acceptance. There were risks taken on a dare, a “know-it-all” swagger that covered for something softer underneath. Marriage, and then the weight of family, drew him into a role where consistency mattered more than adventure, and he chafed against it until he nearly lost everything that was real. But for dreamers, dreams are hard to kill.