Glen and Kay live in the same campground here in Kingman as Lisa and I and it has been great getting to know this very nice couple from Ohio.  Their story fascinates us.  As Glen tells it, Ohio became nothing but drudgery in terms of climate and lifestyle.  And four years ago, when they visited their son who had moved to California, they made a stop in Kingman and fell in love with the place. They loved the warm weather, the hills and canyons, the nearly year-round sunshine, and the lack of dreary rain and snow.  Lisa and I agree that the Mohave Desert has its own unique beauty – very different from Ohio and Kentucky.  But to say we have fallen in love with it – is just not true.  But for Glen and Kay it became their greatest dream to live here and so they went back to Ohio and put their home up for sale.  That was four years ago.

Upon arriving here in Kingman in June, Lisa and I first met Glen and Kay at the place where people meet here at our campground – in the pool.  We struck up a conversation and soon became friends.  They moved lock, stock and barrel from Ohio to Kingman just a couple of weeks before we arrived – after finally selling their home which was four years on the market.  They are having a pre-fab home built and have been staying at our campground until it is completed.  We have followed the progress of their home almost daily and now they are just a week or so away from moving in.  We are hoping that we can get out to their place before we leave here on Nov. 7th.

Lisa and I have talked many times about moving away to some exotic place – something, perhaps, every couple discusses at one time or another.  Lisa thinks dreaming like that is a good thing.  And I agree.  Probably most couples go no further in their lives than just talking about dreams.  Very few actually live them out.  It is impressive, to me, that Glen and Kay dreamed of moving to Kingman, Arizona four years ago and never gave up on that dream.  Although their home would not sell year after year – still they dreamed of being here.  They would travel out here occasionally and look over the land they had purchased and there they would dream.  Now their dream is about to come true.  Good for them.  Their dream is just that – theirs.  It is not ours – nor would it probably ever be.  The thought of living permanently in Arizona is just not appealing to us – it is just not our dream.  Glen talks about how miserable he was in Ohio and how the weather there made life so difficult.  Here, in comparison, the weather is marvelous – most of the year.  Every morning when I see the two of them on their way for coffee, I like to say things like – “Boy what beautiful weather – I think I could move out here.”  They always laugh and I think they like hearing me say that. Lisa and I have made it a point to be encouraging to them – we would want the same from people if we were living out our dreams in such a fashion.

Years ago there was a man I knew who was a member of my church and lived a rather quiet life with his wife and children.  He did not say much but had his role as church van driver – which he performed dutifully.  When he was not working – he took meticulous care of his yard and home.  After he passed away it was told that he had made the comment just before he died that he always wished he could have stayed just once in a hotel.  He had never stayed in a hotel in his life.  But then it was too late.  I have never forgotten his story.  How sad it is to think of someone having such a simple dream in life and never realizing it.

Perhaps pursuing a dream is all about the pursuit.  It is that carrot that dangles in front of our lives that moves us forward – that pushes us to go from one day to the next.  Having a dream is healthy.  Unfortunately, there are only a few people who actually realize their dreams.  Congratulations to Glen and Kay – whose dreams are coming true.

Dreaming of getting home soon – Steve and Lisa