On the drive in to work this morning I was listening to a show on radio 4 (I can't face music in the mornings) where Libby Purves was speaking to a number of guests, including Debra Veal. Debra and her husband set off in a competition to row across the Atlantic, unfortunately her husband had to retire less than two weeks into the crossing, leaving Debra to row alone for the next fourteen weeks. I was so impressed with her determination to carry on alone, I'm sure many others would have pulled out of the event at the same time.

It got me thinking about my own life and what I want to achieve in the future. I called this Blog "Scents of Direction" because that is all I have ever really had, just a scent rather than a plan. I've ended up with good things; I've got a wife who is also my best friend (soul mate, whatever), a happy healthy daughter whom we both adore, a pretty good job, a pretty good wage, a nice house and a mortgage (that last thing isn't so good). These good things do have more than a little bearing on the direction I choose to take. I can't spend four months rowing across the Atlantic, who would pay the bills?

I need to develop some firm plans for my future, some dreams I want to fulfil while I still have the opportunity. I also need to make sure they fit in with the real world commitments I have chosen for myself.

You've got to have a dream, if you don't have a dream then how are you going to have a dream come true? (sorry)
Surely I shouldn't have to make an effort to actually have a dream or a long term goal? Shouldn't this have all been sorted out in my formative years? Shouldn't I be working towards those goals at this very moment?