I devote a lot of words to talking about my dreams for my little sister, Taylor, and our fight against Batten disease. But I don’t spend a lot of time talking about her dreams.

Taylor can’t talk to me about her dreams anymore. I haven’t gotten an update in a couple of years. She used to want to be a pop star or a vet.

I wish Taylor could tell me what she dreams about now. To be a teacher? Or a doctor? To travel the world? To see again? To not be sick?

Taylor turned 15 last month. At 15, I wanted to earn a soccer scholarship and write books and draw for Disney. I wanted to explore the world. I wanted to have lifelong friends. I wanted my grandmother to live forever. I wanted to fall in love.

At 31, I’m still pretty athletic. I haven’t finished my first book, but I’m close. I didn’t end up drawing for Disney, but while I love to draw, I love to write more. I’ve been to amazing places. I still spend time with friends I met before I could drive, and I married my high school sweetheart. I have an incredible family. I lost my grandmother and other people close to me. I’ve learned that loss is a part of life, but I’ve lived a lot of my dreams.

I’ve lived a lot of my dreams, and it makes me crazy that monsters like Batten disease keep kids like Taylor from living theirs.

What were your dreams at 15? At 31? Did they change? Did you achieve all of them? If not, why? Is it important to have dreams?