Talk About a Dream........Try to Make It Real

This is the most haunting picture I ever took.  I remember taking it and thinking my children were growing so fast.  We were cruising out of New York City and appreciating the New York skyline.  Little did we know how much life would change after this picture was taken.  But, really life is about changing, growing and dealing with loss.  After all, life changes everyday and we grow older.  Is it a loss or a gain?  Well, I guess that is how you look at life?  I have always been conservative, not ready to dive into anything without a certain amount of time given to make sure I was making the right decisions.  I am so happy I was blessed with twins, because it never gave me the time to think. I just did what I had to do and focused on keeping my children safe and healthy.  Then something huge happens like 9/11 which was totally out of my control.  But, I knew after this I had to be the best example for my children.  Just go on going on....take them to school and get back to work.  I had started a new job twelve years ago and we were about to open the Boscov's at Monmouth Mall and I remember our local economy was already on the decline.  Boscov's closed in 2008 and I was lucky to find a job within six months as an assistant manager for Paper Source in Princeton.  It was a dream job for me.  Kaylyn and Ian were attending college and Glen was ready to retire.  After six months working this dream job, every morning I woke up with one thought and one thought alone.  I have to have a store of my own.  Every morning I woke up with a space in Asbury Park in mind.  Before I knew it each morning the store was filling with merchandise.  What makes you have dreams like this?  What creates that thought in your head?  What makes you leave a dream job and sign a lease for that storefront in your dreams the next day.  What makes you take a leap of faith without any consideration for anyone else?  I know I never did anything like this before, because I was afraid of the risk financially and the fear of failure.  All I know is I don't have any regrets for this decision.  I have met people I would have never met.  It ended up a great creative outlet for Glen, also.  Well, thanks for reading my reflections on the day after 9/11.  Raise a glass, raise a flag to our land of hopes and dreams and may all your dreams come true!