An American Dream

I was not at school last Friday, which was when our class received a packet titled "American Dreams and Nightmares".  Since I did not get a chance to read it and speak my thoughts in class, I thought that I would share them in a blog post.  The first question asks us to state our five goals/dreams in life. Here are mine (in order of when they would happen):
1) Get accepted and attend a good college
2) Get a job that I enjoy
3) Get married
4) Have kids
5) Raise my kids to be good people
The next question asked us to identify which dream is most important to us.  For me, it was a no brainer.  I chose number five.  I may have a lovely wife, a high paying job that I enjoy, and great children.  But if when I die my kids aren't able to live good lives as good people, then I will have failed.  My parents have done an incredible job raising me.  I am very privileged to live with the amenities that I have, and the economic freedom that our family has.  I feel that when I am an adult, it will be my duty to follow in my parents' footsteps and raise a new generation of children, who will then in turn raise their own children, etc.  I want to leave a mark on this world when I die, and the best way for me to do that is to leave several new human beings who are ready to help the world and tackle any problems that may come their way.  I personally feel that no matter how great of a life one lives, it is meaningless if one cannot somehow leave something behind to further help after one's death.