Scrapbook Your Own Hopes and Dreams!

By Christina VanGinkel

If you love to scrapbook, but are at a loss for ideas for layouts, how about creating a layout, or even a whole scrapbook, that highlights your hopes and dreams, for both the future and the current day! Do not be shy, as I am sure many of you are saying that you really dislike layouts that are just about you. A layout that is about your life now, or of plans for the future most likely include others, and even if it ends up being a very personal look at what you hope your own, personal future holds, it will still be a fun layout for future generations to look back on.

To get started, make a list of questions that you would ask someone else about their hopes and dreams, about their lifetime aspirations if given a chance, but instead of asking someone else them, sit down with the list and ask them of your self. Use a plain notebook to begin, to record your answers as they come to you. Be as brutally frank and honest as you can be, for what could be a more interesting and enjoyable find years from now, than a look at your past hopes and dreams. In addition, just imagine how wonderfully unique and interesting a discovery it will be for possibly a grandchild or even great-great grandchild in some far off time.

Some sample questions, depending on where you are currently at in your life, could include some of the following:

What would your dream job be, if you could choose any profession?
If it is different from what you are doing, is there a reason why?
Do you hope to be married some time in the future?
If you are already married, how did you meet your spouse, and where do you see the two of you ten, twenty, fifty years from now?
Do you hope to have kids some time in the future?
If you already have children, do you plan to have more, and what are your hopes for your children's futures?
Do you want to own your own home?
Where would you live if you could live any place in the world you chose, and why?
Would you like to travel?
Would you like to do any volunteer work of any kind? Do you now?
What do you like to do for fun?
Who are your friends?
Do you have any fears, and if you do, do you know why or how they came to be?
Are you a religious person, or do you have a personal story of faith that you want to share with others that might someday have possession of your scrapbook?
Was there a struggle in your life that was difficult to deal with? Did you make it through it, and if so, did you learn anything?

(This last question is actually my favorite. The struggle, which I always think of when I hear this question asked, was not even my own, but that of my husband. He was crushed by a tree some three and a half years ago, and I remember thinking that life was not fair, and how would we ever make it through. We did make it, and he was not only walking six months later, he is now working again full time! )

Keep in mind that these questions are just a jumping board for your own questions. Think of the aspects of your life that you would like to share with your future generations.

Also, include a sampling of photographs and memorabilia that relates to the questions and answers. For example, if you hope to someday volunteer for the Peace Corps or travel to Paris, include some information in regards to the steps you might have already taken to make those dreams come true. Have you sent away for information on what is required to volunteer, or have you checked you frequent flier miles to see how close you are to obtaining your flight of a lifetime? Include details such as these to make your layout or scrapbook that much more interesting to those who read and peruse the pages of it both now and in the years to come!