By Angela Phelps
“She turned her can’ts into cans and her dreams into plans.” (Author unknown) Love and dreams come into play together. Like two childhood friends they are inseparable, adventurous, and mischievous when working as a team. Having one without out the other is difficult, or even impossible to accomplish. Throughout English class we have discussed the American dream with deep thought and consideration. From what has been said, the American dream is based on love, and without it no dreams would exist and people would live long boring lives. My own American dream evolves around the idea of love, not only for myself but also for others. This includes my education, home, career, family, pets, and eventually my retirement. My dreams, all in which are thought out with love for the quality of life in my time of being here because like I said, without love, there are no dreams.
Education is the seed to my dreams, once I am finished with high school my plans are to go to a university, preferably Michigan State University and get a PhD in psychiatry along with a master in psychopathology and bachelors in counseling. Although there is a lot of schooling to take place to reach my preferred level of education, I believe that I can master it with dedication and hard work. In order to get my PhD I will have to undergo eight years of courses, four being classroom work and four more being field work. In order to become a doctor I know that I will have to push my limits to places they have never gone before, but with the motivation I have set in my head I know I can achieve the “impossible”. Classes I would take along with psychiatry would be psychopathology, or the study of mental disorders and behavior. These classes will help me in my career course because my plan is to work with young adults that have troubling thoughts and actions they are unable to control themselves because they may be silently suffering from mental disorders which we could overcome together. Once I have finished both my psychiatry and psychopathology classes I will then finish it off with a degree in counseling making it possible to help and treat people that are in desperate need of help. People ask my why I chose to follow in this career path and hundreds of answers pour into my mind. As I think it through only two explanations remain, one, I’d like to help people overcome their fears and pain, and two; I myself have dealt with psychological problems leaving me wanting to help others who feel the same way. With my education at its peek in this field I will be able to buy a home which is another big part of my dream!
I can picture it now, the pastel sunset behind the mountain as the light of the day dims out, mother birds singing their lullaby’s to their young as they say goodnight. A light breeze makes the grass dance along the white fenced pastures while the horses graze in peace along side of the river as it trickles through the beautiful Wyoming valley I will call my home. There will be barns for the animals of the world that need a second chance. I will have kennels, stalls, and even a river for the wildlife. My home will sit in the middle of the land it won’t be flawless; it will be old and run down because I like a challenge and to fix things myself. My plan is to buy an old Victorian house with a story. I will fix it up the way I want it too look, the windows will be stained with the beautiful colors of the land, greens, yellows, blues, and many more. As you walk in you will feel the history that has taken place there. The holiday parties, the family nights, and even the simple Sunday night dinners where the people only got by on laughter. The walls will be covered with pictures of my life, from horse shows, family gatherings, and the people I love with all of my heart. I want it to be the type of home where people can walk in and know they are safe. With the coziness everyone needs to feel in their hearts when they are down. I want my home to feel like a home to others because my doors will always be opened for anyone or anything that needs a hot meal or a warm place to sleep when times are hard. Yet without my profession in life, none of this would be possible.
My next goal in life is to open up my own personal business based of both people and rescued animals. My patients will be willing to work with, or even adopt one of the many rescued animals I will have available. In my opinion quite a few people in this world deal with a long agonizing sense of loneliness, and what better than a homeless pet to give them the companionship they need? From my experience, animals that are adopted from a shelter or rescue tend to be much more loving. They almost seem to have a feeling of recognition towards the adopter and will give them their undying love which becomes a win win situation in the end. Both The patient/adopter will have the companionship they long for and the animal will finally have a home that it deserves, full of tender loving care. I hope that this line of work will eventually take off and I will have many patients to make the money to care for the many animals I will support and then adopt out. I would never be able to do any of this without the help and support of my family and loved ones.
Along the way through my challenging life I hope to get married to a wonderful man that is funny, supporting, caring, and loving. Through a decent period of time we will eventually have children which I hope to be two boys and a girl. My daughter’s name will be Ava while my two boy’s names will be Silas and Lincoln or “Linc”. My daughter will be the youngest and a tomboy, making her father proud and being his little girl by always playing in the dirt with her fair skin, blue eyes, blonde hair and that innocent little smile while she’s wearing a cute little sun dress. Like all the girls in my family she will have a way with animals. Her horse will be the love of her life and all she ever thinks and talks about. My boys on the other hand will be hard working, polite, and loving, much like their father will be, their respect for others will awe strangers as their manners are put to work. Silas will be a smart one, always smiling and looking out for his siblings as they grow older. Being the oldest his responsibilities for school and home will be set higher, but all for good reason. Lincoln will be the middle child strong and determined to live up to what his family expects from him he will become a great man following in both his father and brother’s footsteps. Hoping the world will be ready for what he has to give. Along with my own happy family I’d like to add some foster children into the mix. Being a psychiatrist would make me a great foster mother and since I will have a big home why not open it up for other people that need to feel loved. Teenagers are the most difficult age to foster because they are deluded in the feeling of abandonment or loneliness. Yet overlooking these “disturbed” teenagers is the main issue they have! Everyone needs to feel care and love, especially at that age group. That is why I would like to welcome them into my home. Yet humans are not the only thing I will welcome into my home and heart my pets will be another specific family member in our lives.
Animals are important to me, and that is why I will have a shelter, but not all of my pets will be at the rescue itself. Some will belong to me. Although none of the animals will be treated any different, whether they belong to me or are waiting for their forever homes all of the critters running around will have a special place in my heart that will always be their. My own personal pets will consist of an all white American Pit Bull Terrier whose name will be Sebastian or “Seb”, because of my own personal issues I will qualify for an emotional service dog which he will be used for. The American Pit Bull has a bad reputation because what the owners force him to do. I love the breed and they are actually tested and proven to be in tuned better with their master more than any other breed in world. That is why I’d choose a Pit Bull for a personal dog. The next pet on my list would be a black Percheron Horse, their majestic beauty and loving attitudes will woo any person who’s never seen this breed up close. He will be a gelding with the name Jigsaw, and also a rescue, no matter how long it takes to find a Percheron in the line of abuse and neglect I will wait for one and once I find him I will personally give him the love and care that he deserves. Animals are a great creature in the world, always giving and trying their hardest to please their masters. All they really want is to love someone and be loved in return. Is that to much to ask for? They don’t want the world; they just want to be a special part of it that will remain in their owner’s thoughts forever. From the day they show up to the day they have to say goodbye.
In the end, I plan on retiring at a good old age when the time seems right. My goals in life will be fulfilled with the love of my job, husband, children, fostered teens, and my pets. I will be ready for the last chapters of my long life story and live comfortably in my old Wyoming home that will share so many memories. The money I live on will come from my retirement and savings some will even go to other shelters around the state that are in need of help. Yet that doesn’t mean I will not still rescue my own animals in my later years. There is always room for them in my home and heart. My animals will stay along side me as I age and my grandchildren will come around to visit. Content with what I’ve done with my life I will be able to have lived happily and die with a smile on my face, knowing that I did right for all of my years every last bit of it based on nothing but love.
