My father came of age “ July 8, 1978”. What marked/Made that time important for you. “ There wasn’t too much more to do that I didn’t already do”. “In that time drinking and partying was a lot more common and the cops didn’t care, if they caught you drinking and driving they would just ask you to pour your drink out, but times have changed.”

When my dad graduated he was an easy to please man. “ My American dream right out of high school was, to own my own land, get a job, provide for my family, and live and long simple life.”  He wasn’t like everyone in his class, some agreed with his form of the American dream but most didn’t “Everyone wanted to be rich and famous” but some like his best friend Dave “ wanted to live the simple life.” “Not a whole lot has changed since high school except for I did want to own a ranch which I kind of do now, I even had a crush on your mom back in the day.”

I asked my father what his opinion was on modern technology, his response was: “ I don’t understand new technology, and I don’t like what I don’t understand, It makes me frustrated so I just give up trying to figure it out. I mean that’s what I have you for, right?” Times are changing. Our farm equipment, our vehicles, and our phones are all advancing. “I always have to relearn how to do something, which makes it so I have less time to do what I need to do, which is why I don’t like it”

“ I believe I have achieved the American dream, I’m happily married, I have the best kids (didn’t really say that part) I own land, I live a simple life, have cattle, and I make enough to help feed my family.” “ The American dream is different for everyone, for example I enjoy this farm life it is my American dream, but you (me) wouldn’t enjoy it you want to go off and do something else, so the American dream had different meanings for different people.”

Most people from the same time as my dad had a simple dream to own a house, have a family, support said family, and live a long and happy life. There weren’t very many options back in the day to live the American dream; most people either did hard labor, desk job, or housewife. Unless you were born super gifted at something it was mostly cut and paste, everyone practically did the same thing, It was a much more simple time. Most people didn’t go to college and some spent their whole life doing the same thing.

In that time most me worked on farms, or joined the military to fight in the Vietnam War. Most women stayed home in the states and worked to help there sustain their family and keep food on the table and watch the kids. People got married a lot sooner back then, people would get married with in a month or two of meeting someone. Also marriages lasted a lot longer back then as well because they didn’t have the “distractions” that we do in today’s world.

One thing most people did like from back in the day is the lack of technology. Some people from then like it but very few, for example: my dad hates technology but my mother on the other hand loves technology. My dad was one of those guys who didn’t go with the times, he stayed old school. My mom however is keeping up with the newest things of today; it just depends on how you grew up. My dad and mom grew up on a farm though, so it also probably depends on how your parents were. 

In my opinion the American dream is whatever makes you enjoy waking up every morning, it’s whatever makes you happy, that dream that you had since you were 8 years old. But of course dreams change, people change, but for most people besides a select few have a dream they want to achieve or have achieved before their time is up.

Don’t base your American dream on what others think it should be, my American dream is to major in kinesiology, play college football, be in good shape even when I’m 85, have a family, marry I beautiful, smart wife, and be rich, as shallow as that sounds one of my dreams is to be very financially stable.

Just do what you believe will help you towards achieving your dream. Don’t listen to others unless the are building you up, never let a person tear you down, that is just someone who wasn’t courageous enough to achieve their dream so they don’t want you to achieve your dream. Follow your heart and do what will bring you closer to that dream and just keep running and never stop.