The effort it takes to pursue our dreams

As we wrap up our Parisian adventure series and bid farewell to summer, I want to take a moment to celebrate the grit it takes to pursue our dreams. Adventuring is not for the faint of heart.

Case in point: To reach my writers’ retreat in a French medieval castle, it required 12 hours of plane rides, schlepping my bags through the city, navigating in and out of metro stations (thanks to Olympic-related closures), a two-hour train ride, and a bumpy hour-long van ride without A/C in the 90-degree summer heat. And that was just the journey there. The roundtrip back with my fellow writers was a test of endurance—with a strong will to stave off car sickness and new mothers doing their best to make the most of the journey, pumping breast milk on the go, only to have the bag momentarily lost in the shuffle. You can’t make this stuff up.

Speaking of car sickness, my daughter is a frequent victim. As we took a taxi to the airport, I fully expected her to get sick at some point. Sure enough, five minutes before reaching the terminal, she started squirming. I confidently pulled out my emergency Ziploc bag, reassuring the cab driver that I had it all under control. The car would stay clean despite the drama in the back seat. But when I went to remove the bag, I discovered it had a hole in the bottom—leaving my daughter, myself, and the car covered in vomit. A perfect start to a nine-hour flight home. Again, you can’t make this stuff up.

But it’s in these moments—where laughter inevitably follows, and you’re forced to let go and let be—that the true spirit of adventure is found.

So, here’s to the dreamers who chase after their dreams, no matter the hurdles that stand in their way.

What efforts have you taken in pursuit of your dreams?

I’d love to hear your thoughts—share in the comments below.

For the world needs who we were made to be.