How to Recover from a Broken Dream

It was a crushing conversation.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, my wife and I helped our son and his fiancee make the gut wrenching decision to postpone their long-planned wedding just three weeks before the event. They rescheduled it for fall of 2020. Then again for spring of 2021. Then again for October of 2021.

A week ago, they finally held the long-awaited celebration. The atmosphere was joyous, buoyant, jubilant. Not just because it was a wedding. Not even because it was outdoors, Lord of the Rings themed, and at a castle (though all that certainly helped). It was because of the journey they travelled to get there.

As I performed the ceremony, I was overcome with emotion. Not entirely surprising, especially for me, a card-carrying sentimentalist. But in addition to the normal emotions most parents feel at their child’s wedding, I was overflowing with pride for how both my son and daughter-in-law had handled the blow life had dealt them. They faced the hard reality. Grieved well. Remembered those who were hit far worse by this disease. Let it go. Made a new plan. Looked forward in hope.

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Psalm 30:5 (the Bible, nlt version)

Life will inevitably present you with obstacles. You will have heartache. Sometimes your dreams will be postponed, broken, or even shattered. Follow the roadmap my son and daughter-in-law chose. Take the hit. Let yourself grieve. Then get back up. Choose gratitude. Persevere. Carve out a new dream. Dare to try. Dare to risk your heart again. Dare to hope. If you do, you’ll eventually see the sunrise cresting the mountain, and you’ll take another step toward Becoming Yourself.