• Home
  • About
  • Around
  • Contributors
  • Applause

Daily Plate of Crazy

  • Relationships
    • Dating
    • Love
    • Marriage
    • Divorce
    • Life After Divorce
  • Parenting
    • Advice
    • Babies and Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • College Kids
    • Single Moms
    • Older Moms
    • Dads
    • Family Dynamics
    • Money Matters
    • Work-Life
  • Health
  • Sex
  • Women’s Issues
  • Fashion & Style
    • Chaussures
    • Fashion
    • Style
    • Lingerie
    • Interiors
  • Culture
  • More
    • Art Art Art
    • Business
    • En Français
    • Entertainment
      • Mad Men
      • Mad Men Reviews
      • Real Housewives
      • Movies
      • Celebrities
      • Work of Art Reviews
    • Flash
    • Food & Recipes
    • Lifestyle
    • Morning Musing
    • Starting Over
    • Technology
    • Travel
    • Women and Money
You are here: Home / Dreams / Be Careful What You Wish For

Be Careful What You Wish For

April 15, 2011 by D. A. Wolf 4 Comments

Is it love? Is it money? Is it just a day or two to yourself? Is it something harder to generalize, impossible to articulate, or too private to admit to?

Do you have a foolish little dream – or a glitzy big one – something from childhood – shelved and dusted off, shelved again, only to persist?

Come on. Who doesn’t dream? Who doesn’t close her eyes, and imagine life differently?

So what do you yearn for? And if you were able to actually achieve it, what then? Would you savor it, sit back on your laurels, or spin yourself another dream?

Ever wish for something – and when you got it – it wasn’t what you expected?

If Only

If only I could lose the weight, if only I could fund my business idea, if only I could meet a great guy, if only I had a different boss, the right agent, a supportive family…

Who hasn’t crafted a scenario of what ifs, if onlys, and “someday when” to help make it through tough times? Or, to be a softened and palatable version of making excuses?

Wanting What We Don’t Have

It’s part of the human condition – to strive, to work toward something, to dream, to want. Envy is also part of our contemporary experience, whether it’s the easier life of the guy next door, the family on television, the woman at the gym who gets time alone to exercise, as she smiles at her nanny who walks off with her child in tow.

Some of us are content with what we have; many of us want what we don’t have. I would guess that the majority of us experience both, in some measure. But do we ever know the true cost, the trade-offs made for the appearance of success or happiness?

Realistic Expectations

I’ve taken my share of hits, and so have you. But there are also surprises, pleasures, moments that make an impression. My expectations of a life – my life – are this. These ups and downs.

But always, dreaming. Looking forward. Reconfiguring the future.

As adults, we temper our ambitions with reality, especially as we rack up defeats, or accept the constraints of events beyond our control. We spin smaller dreams, or fewer; at times we surrender them entirely, telling ourselves it will be alright. And sometimes we get exactly what we wished for – and it isn’t all it was cracked up to be.

Balancing Act

When my solo parenting gig comes to an end, will the quiet push me over the edge? Will the alone time I have craved be dreadful, or offer up the freedom I’ve longed for these past years?

Recently, I’ve made dating a higher priority. The investment in time has been significant; it comes out of my daily writing, and out of my night’s sleep. Will that time be worth it?

Whatever comes next, I  will readjust priorities as one balancing act gives way to another which is as yet unknown; one in which my careful wishing may shift, and anything is possible. Perhaps disappointments. Perhaps, joy.

  • What do you wish for?
  • What wishes do you work for?
  • When you achieve them, are you satisfied?
  • Sometimes, does your reality bite?
  • At others, is the dream actualized far more than you ever imagined?


© D A Wolf

Share/Save/Bookmark

Big Little Wolf’s Daily Plate of Crazy

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail

Filed Under: Dreams, Lifestyle, Love, Morning Musing, Relationships Tagged With: be careful what you wish for, daily plate of crazy, dating over 40, dating over 50, Dreams, happiness, setting goals, Single Parenting

Comments

  1. Gandalfe says

    April 15, 2011 at 3:25 pm

    What do you wish for? More happy discoveries like this blog.
    What wishes do you work for? Better quality time with Suzy, family and friends. Better sound on my sax, clarinet, and flute; that’s not asking for too much is it?
    When you achieve them, are you satisfied? Yes, in those brief moments when I actually get close to actualizing these dreams.
    Sometimes, does your reality bite? When I crash and burn or the effort results in something way less than I’d hoped. Gawd, I sound like that to a family member or in a concert. Just shoot me now!
    At others, is the dream actualized far more than you ever imagined? Rarely, or not that I can tell. Doesn’t mean that I don’t keep trying.

    Reply
  2. BigLittleWolf says

    April 15, 2011 at 4:25 pm

    Glad this little reading-writing spot is a happy discovery! And oh, for more men who would wish to have quality time with spouse and family, not to mention in creative pursuits.

    Reply
  3. Wolf Pascoe says

    April 15, 2011 at 11:05 pm

    I’m constantly fussing with how it all could be different–I may end up in the Fresno Home for the Thoughtful. I’ve been playing with the New Yorker Therapy Drawings. They’re actually pretty helpful.

    Reply
  4. April says

    April 16, 2011 at 10:46 am

    In general, I think the most important thing is to continue to reassess. The closer one gets, the more we realize what the actuality of a dream might cost. Sometimes, the wish fades away. Sometimes, it’s just the motivation we need to keep persisting. The key is to recognize which wishes are really worth granting for ourselves!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Follow Us

FacebooktwitterrssinstagramFacebooktwitterrssinstagram

Search Daily Plate of Crazy

Subscribe for Your Daily Serving

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Categories

Archives

Recent Comments

  • Anonymous on Does Effort Matter If You Don’t Get Results?
  • D. A. Wolf on Mantras
  • D. A. Wolf on Over 50, Unemployed, Depressed and Powerless
  • Marty on When You Marry a Loner
  • Tina on Would You Brag About Your Age?
  • Sal on Over 50, Unemployed, Depressed and Powerless
  • Open More Doors If You Want More Skills - 3 Plus International on Open More Doors If You Want More Skills
  • Leonora C on Over 50, Unemployed, Depressed and Powerless
  • Maree on Mantras
  • kate on DON’T Call Me Dear!
  • Stephanie on Narcissism. Manipulation. Keeping Score.
  • S on When a Couple Wants Different Things

The Makeover Series

Daily Plate of Crazy: The Makeover Series

Essays From Guest Writers

Daily Plate of Crazy: Essay Series

Daily Reads

Daily Plate of Crazy Blogroll

Follow

Follow

Notices

All content on this site, DailyPlateOfCrazy.com, is copyrighted by D. A. Wolf unless copyright is otherwise attributed to guest writers. Do not use, borrow, repost or create derivative works without permission.

© D. A. Wolf 2009-2025. All Rights Reserved.

Parlez-vous francais?

Daily Plate of Crazy: En Français

© D. A. Wolf 2009-2025
All Rights Reserved

Daily Plate of Crazy ™

Privacy Notice

Popular This Month

  • 50 Years old and Starting Over
  • Best Places to Live When You're Over 50 and Reinventing
  • When the Person You Love Is Emotionally Unavailable
  • When a Couple Wants Different Things
  • How to Comfort Someone Who Is Stressed

Food for Thought

  • Why I Choose to Think Like a Man
  • When You Marry a Loner
  • Emotionally Needy Parents
  • Sex vs. Lovemaking: Why Are We So Confused?
  • Think Looks Don't Pay?
  • Rebranding Mediocrity: Why Good Enough Isn't Good Enough

Copyright © 2025 · Metro Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This site uses cookies for the best browsing experience. By continuing to use this site, you accept our Cookie Policy.
Cookie SettingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT