How can we find fulfillment later in life, when perhaps long-held dreams are no longer possible?

Meridian creates Wingspan, and in so doing she helps to shape the futures of scores of girls and young women. How can we find fulfillment later in life, when perhaps long-held dreams are no longer possible?

As I've gotten older, I've realized much of what I thought was so important really wasn't. There are many things I do now that I wish I had known about earlier. I do think we can find great fulfillment and satisfaction later in life, though not usually the fulfillment of the original dream

By reassessing your life and discovering what is most important now that you are older (and hopefully wiser), you can choose new goals or dreams if necessary. If you are still focused on a life-long dream, then you better get busy getting it done or you will forever lose your chance.

No matter how old you are, or where you are in your life's journey personally or professionally, there is always time to have goals and dreams. If the old goals and dreams don't fit your current situation, select new ones. There is so much to do in a 24 hour day that life can always be fulfilling. It doesn't mean that altering your course may not come with some sacrifice and sadness. However, the fulfillment of your life is in your hands. I love this quote by Benjamin Mays, a former university president. It says it all! “The tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn't a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream...It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is sin.” In this book, Meri eventually developed a passion for mentoring young women in their own search of their goals and dreams. I have to imagine that the reward of such an endeavor would be fulfillment for most anyone.

When long-held dreams are no longer possible, it's time for a new dream. Let Meridian be our muse to dream big and act boldly. I agree that aiming low is the sin! To do this, one can't be 'stuck' in elder years, but rather open to what is happening around us, knowing that we can, indeed, change the world in our own way.

As we get older, we realize what is important in life and let everything else fall away. Hopefully, we become a sage and help those that are younger and less fortunate.

As I grow older I find I may have to fulfill a long-held dream in a different way. For example I not able to hike the Appalichian Trail all at one time but I can hike it in segments with long breaks in between.

Aging comes with wisdom! We might not be able to fulfill the old dreams we had when we were younger but we can certainly make use of our experiences and knowledge to help others or to try something new.

When we are older we may find more time to pursue things that interest us and we may find that something that we didn't notice before becomes important. I think worrying about what others think or doing what we think is expected of us takes on less importance so we can take some bigger risks. It is partly wisdom but also experience. Especially if one lives through some difficult times, things can have a different meaning and perspective.

This book mimicked my own like in many ways. I married my first husband because I thought he offered what I should want - similar backgrounds, religious & socioeconomic parity, similar goals- but I didn't have the self knowledge, self confidence, and life experience to know what I really wanted. I found that at age 45; and my life has been wonderful since. It is knowing what one wants, refusing to settle for less, and staying true to oneself.

As we mature our dreams do too. As a young adult there are plenty of responsibilities that can hinder your own selfish desires. As we age, we have more time to ourselves, and realize that if we are going to do the things we have dreamed about, we have to do it now. There is no more time to put it off. Sometimes just knowing that time is running out motivates us to act. Meridian sacrificed her dreams when she was young for her husband, and she continued to search for meaning all of her life. I don't think she was ever truly fulfilled but she tried to make the most of her time left. She had a passion for helping girls and finally had the time and means to do it.

Fulfillment is hard won at every stage of life, especially if we have outsized fantasies of what it takes to be fulfilled. In youth we may be limited in dream realization by money, family obligations, societal expectations, work or any of a variety of hindrances. As we age it might be limited by physical ability or other commitments. I also think our notion of what constitutes a fulfilling life must mature as we do. Otherwise we may never feel we have lived a fulfilling life.