Dreaming in America

I feel like the "American Dream" has morphed through the decades. To some, coming into our country held a promise for a better future and so their American dream would be to be higher in society, make more money, receive a better education, or even just live freely for their beliefs. To me, I've always pictured the American dream as eventual happiness. Whether that means educational achievements, attainment of material possessions, or social status, I don’t know. Through my own experiences in life and seeing how other people's lives have turned out, I have decided that I just want to be happy with my life. My American dream is to own my own bakery and live in a close knit community. It may seem simple, but I believe that I would be satisfied with my financial situation and greatly pleased with my life. Some people may believe that money is the only thing that can bring them happiness, but I have seen that exact idea ruin someone's life. I don't want to be miserable in a job just because it pays well. It's true that I want financial security, but I don't need to live lavishly to be happy. I'm not willing to give up my happiness just for a flashy car. My dream is to have a well balanced job and family life and inspire others to reach beyond the allure of money and find happiness. My parents, like others from their generation, were taught to get an education and find a well paying job. There were supposed to make their parents proud and do better than they were able to. My parents taught me a similar lesson. I was taught that I would only earn respect in the community if I earned a degree, no matter what it would pertain to. I would have fallen into the same pattern too, but I reached a point of clarity. I realized that neither of my parents are happy doing what they do even though the money is good. My mother doesn't receive the respect she should in her profession even though she has a degree. I just want to do what makes me happy. If I never make enough money to live in a house like my parents had for me, then I'm okay with that. I don't want to dread getting up every morning to go to my job. I don't want to look forward to retirement as if it's the end to a grotesque nightmare. I'm going to enjoy what I do, and enjoy life along the way.