I finally has a brief spot of downtime waiting for the shuttle to whisk me away from the Red Rock resort in Las Vegas to the airport. While I continued to knock out some emails, I decided to do one of my favorite things: people-watch. I looked at people at the slot machines, focused on the possibility, dare I say, the near reality of striking it big. Big money signs were everywhere, even promises of no lose games. It was intriguing, to say the least. I considered dropping some coin, and even thinking about it gave me a rush… What would I do with my winnings? I decided against it, but who knows… I just might try next time.
Then I looked up and saw a young bride taking wedding pictures with her bridesmaids. I thought about all those that go to Vegas to get married, with just about any theme you could ask for. I wondered if the bride was from Vegas, or if she had come to Vegas to make the wedding even more special (then I wondered where people who live in Vegas go to elope, but that’s only cuz I had too much time on my hands 🙂 ).
What is so special about this place that makes people brave the 110 degree heat (in the shade) and roller coaster airplane landings (ok, maybe that’s just me… I hate turbulence)? Is it the geographical location, the majestic beauty of the mountains, the perfect weather? Maybe it’s none of the above. Sometimes the attraction to a place or thing has nothing to do with the actual place or thing itself, but more what that thing represents.
Last night, my company had a private affair at a popular nightspot. We had the place all to ourselves, until the place was set to open to the public. As we were leaving we saw “the line” – dozens, if not hundreds of would be party-ers, waiting to get in to a potentially crowded (yes, it did get very crowded) place, to stand around, drink a little…. all the way to Vegas to do that? I can do that anywhere, right?
Ah, but that’s where the real magic comes in. They weren’t standing in line, waiting to pay their money just to stand around. They were going to be a part of something. To be seen. To experience “the place”. They wanted to be able to come back home and talk about “where they were” and “who they saw”. They were fulfilling a dream.
The bride, the gambler, the clubber, all of them had one thing in common. To go to Vegas to fulfill a dream. Romance, riches, or revelry, they all counted the cost of the heat, the travel, the time as worth it for their particular dream. Some might say that their dreams are too small, too insignificant, but I would beg to differ. Why is someone’s dream more important than another’s? Who’s to say what is really at the core of someone’s dream? Maybe the gambler would become philanthropic with his winnings. Maybe the clubber would get noticed, and eventually become an ambassador for the poor. Or, maybe, their dreams fulfilled would just make them a happier person. Lord knows we could use some more happy people around…
All of this started me thinking about my own dreams. About what would make me happy, and whether I would “make the trek”, braving the elements for the fulfillment of the dream, or make excuses (it’s too hot, I don’t like to stand in lines, I can’t afford it…). Maybe I can take a lesson from those I saw in Vegas this week. I’m sure most of the clubbers did not get discovered. Most of the gamblers lost money (I have hope for the bride 🙂 ). For them, however, it doesn’t matter, cuz they took the chance. They jumped into the river of “dream potential”, and for that, they are better.
What dreams are waiting for you to go after? Are you ready to jump in?