Winning the Lotto

What would you do with the money if you won the lotto? This was the question posed by someone on Saturday in our group of runners. We were munching on bagels and sipping hot coffee after a particularly chilly run. I don't play the lotto but the question still intrigued me. What would I do?

 It took me a few minutes to come up with an answer. "Build the animal shelter in Rockingham County," is the first thing that came to mind. And build it right - full spay/neuter clinic, huge dog runs, cat room with toys, window, sun and climbing spaces. Free clinic, meet and greet room for potential adoptees to bond with pets... I could go on.

After that I came up with pay for college for all nieces and nephews, hire a personal trainer (every runner in the group came up with that one), and do a few upgrades to the house. But I was pleased at how I struggled to find an answer. There's isn't much I would actually change in my life. I wouldn't move, wouldn't stop writing, wouldn't suddenly abandon this life for a new one. That tells me I'm on track with where I need to be. 

As we discussed it, everyone said that while they might leave their current job, they wouldn't want to sit around and do nothing. Instead, they would look for work or volunteer positions that fulfilled them - work that made them feel they were making a difference.

This confirms my belief that no one really wants a free ride in life. We all want to feel useful and productive. Laying in bed for 18 hours a day isn't anyone's dream. Meaningful work, interactions with people, and the opportunity to explore and engage in whatever tasks or activities make us happy--that's what people want in life.

My wish is that we all don't have to wait for the lotto to go after it. What is your "dream life?" What one thing can you do today to bring you closer to living it? If you feel like sharing your answers, I'd love to read them.

Dena