A real-life scenario that reveals the secret to success: a strong support system.

A Lifelong Dream

My friend Tony had always wanted to be police officer. Even as a child Tony had dreamed of becoming an officer, wearing the uniform, and proudly serving the community. There’s nothing unusual about Tony’s dream except that Tony is a girl, or more precisely, at this point, a 33-year-old woman. Her dream wasn’t typical of the girls with whom she grew up, like the conventional desires of becoming rock stars, models, actresses, or mothers. But Tony can’t remember a time in her life when she didn’t want to be a cop. When she met Ray, the man who would become her husband, she told him about her career goal. Ray thought that was a pretty cool thing, and his response was, “that’s great! I think it’s a terrific idea. You’d be great at that.”