Making Dreams a Reality

I have had a dream for many many years, which is to live in a cottage in Ireland, next to the water, where I could live quietly and work on my art.

Over the last year, this dream has moved from sweet fantasy to something more urgent. I realized that I want to make this dream, or something close to it, a reality.

I haven't quite figured out how to do it, or what finer details I need to determine to make this possible, especially on an income of less than $10,000 a year. But, I have given myself this year to do research and figure something out. Some preliminary ideas are that I would not live alone, but part of a small community. Each member of the community would contribute to the overall running of the household and land. We would live in a small cottage or perhaps a grouping of yurts. We would work the land and live as self-sustainably and environmentally friendly as possible. We would grow food, raise animals, spin yarn, knit, weave, can and preserve food as a community. We would also support the creative expression of each member, whether it is wood working, painting, fiber arts, music, so on. If possible, we would extend those creative activities to the larger community outside of ours, by holding classes, selling or bartering products, etc.

That is the ideal dream. As I research into it, I am certain that some details will have to be changed. I also know that this will be hard work. But, hard work has never deterred me. It is only when the work (hard or easy) is not fulfilling or meaningful to me that I find it impossible. I am working very hard to avoid this dreadful kind of work. I want to lay my head down on my (perhaps hand-made) bed at night tired and pleased that the day's work was a good and fulfilling one.

The pictures here are from when I stayed in Ballyvaughan, Ireland many years ago. Memories of staying in this cottage with my fellow travelers, cooking communally, sharing stories by the peat fire, walking to the local pub to have drinks and play dice games and have a laugh, a cry, or two are so vivid. I want that life back, and I am going to do my best to make it happen!

I am researching into communities (non-religious) that may have already been established where I might find a fit. I am being flexible with my dream (it doesn't have to be in Ireland!). I hope by sometime next year I will have some possible leads, perhaps even be living in such a community!