I have a dream. Chances are, when you hear or read those words, you think of the famous speech given by Martin Luther King, Jr. But the truth is, we all have dreams. And as you read this, I am preparing to see one of my biggest ones come true.

I’m not sure what precipitated it exactly, but for nearly as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of one day going to Hawaii. I think it may have started when I was 8-years-old, the year “Hawaii Five-O” first aired. Everything about the islands - the palm trees, sand beaches, leis, and hula dancers - just looked magical to me.

For most of my life, being able to pay the bills and still put food on the table was a challenge. The chances of getting a vacation, much less a tropical one, seemed like a pipe dream. Thanks to some lifestyle changes and a lot of hard work, those years have been in the rear-view mirror of my life for quite a while now.

Tomorrow morning, Jan. 9, Jody and I will board a plane for Los Angeles, and on Saturday, we will get on a cruise ship in Long Beach headed for Hawaii. While I am beyond excited, I also find myself a little nervous. I have dreamed about it for so long; will it live up to my expectations? And once I have achieved that goal, what’s next for me?

For the next two weeks, my friend and fellow writer Alisa Mullen will be filling in for me and will be writing a guest column here. This will be the longest vacation I have ever taken, and I am so grateful to have a boss and co-workers willing to step in.

God has blessed me beyond anything I could have ever imagined. So with my 65th trip around the sun behind me, I am off to fulfill a bucket list wish I truly never thought would happen. It is an affirmation that you should never give up on your dreams!

Bon voyage!