My First Vision Board

I had a vision board before vision boards were a thing. I just didn't realize it...

I was making dinner the other night. It was a Tuesday because I was trying to fullfil the "Taco Tuesday" request from my eldest without having the usual taco supplies. So I went to my library (aka the front room with all the bookshevles in it) and pulled out a binder of recipes I had collected and put in to those plastic protector sheets. This binder in particular had several pages that I pulled out of magazines that I used to get in the mail called Taste of Home.

Back then it was a relatively new magazine. And it was certainly the only place you could get a bunch of recipes all in one go without commiting to a cookbook. I'm old enough I even remember writing into the Food Network and requesting recipes by mail! (gasp, shock, horror!)

But let's talk about back then...As I was looking at the recipe (Easy Taco Casserole by Flo Burtnett from Gage, OK) I noted the issue date: April/May 1996.

And this issue of the magazine wasn't even the first one I had received in the mail! It made me realize I had a subscription to a cooking magazine before I knew how to cook. I had a subscription to a cooking magazine before I lived on my own and was require to cook. I had a subscription to a cooking magazine before I even met the man who is now my husband, for whom I started cooking and wanting to learn more about cooking. I had a subscription to a cooking magazine before I had children for whom I cook and who don't always appreciate the new dishes I make. 

And then it hit me - this was my vision board. I make no bones about it: getting married and having children was always Plan A for me (see the previous post - The Housewife Mould). But, my father, in his infinite wisdom, knew that Plan A was guaranteed to no one. And even if you managed to initiate Plan A, it doesn't mean it's going to last. The 50-50 stat was thrown around then and is still used today to indicate the likelihood of getting a divorce. So Dad wanted me to be prepared to be able to take care of myself if Plan A didn't come to fruition or didn't work out. 

So I initiated and completed Plan B - nursing. I even joked about it with a friend who felt the same way I did about Plan A. We studied hard and cried on each other's shoulders about how difficult nursing school was, not to mention the angst that was involved in actually going and taking the licensure exam. But it was always Plan B. And when we weren't lamenting about Plan B, we talked about and dreamed about Plan A. 

Magazines like Taste of Home or catalouges like Colorful Images were the startdust of those dreams. We could look at recepies we planned on making for when hubby had to work late, or decide what cute image we would have on the checks to our joint bank account. Not to mention the sample catalogues of wedding invites and table fabrics; don't get me started!

My point is that we had a dream, and just like the purpose of current day vision boards, we kept our dream in front of us. Yes, we had to wait on that dream. Yes, we had to veer of course, at times, from that dream. But we kept dreaming. We kept reminding ourselves what we wanted and what we were pursuing. And when all the stars lined up, we walking into our destiny, sure that it was the right path. 

Now before you all slam me for making it seem like I think everyone should get married and have babies, relax. I don't think that. I know that marriage isn't for everyone. I know that not everyone who is married wants kids. I know that there are singles out there who are lonely but can't find "The One" and I know there are those for whom having children simply isn't possible. The real point of this message is that EVERYONE can have a Plan A. And what is necessary to make Plan A come true is intentionality. 

You might have to enact a Plan B, C, D, and maybe even E while you wait on Plan A. But don't let it slip from your mind. Keep it out in front. Whether you do this with a vision board you create on Pintrest or it's simply a recipe you collected from a magazine, you can't make your dreams come true if you don't take the time to dream.