Dreams and Realities

A young friend recently posted that perhaps her dreams were unrealistic, that she should forget about them. I demurred.

Dreams, I said, help define who we are as a person. Our dreams may be lofty, or they may be immediate, but to some degree we are who we are because of the dreams of our heart. Most people may not find a way to work out their dreams, but that does not negate their importance.

It was a dream that pushed Christopher Columbus to seek a shorter route to the spicelands of the East. That dream failed to materialize, but can we not honestly say that the reality that resulted far surpassed an immediate, economic goal?

It was a dream that pushed folks forward into a rough and untamed land, leaving their comfortable homes and loved ones in order to find a better life. Many died in the quest, but that does not diminish their dreams.

Men and women have died because they had a dream of reaching the stars. Progress can be deadly at times, but the gains made are many. Much we take advantage of today are the result of pushing the shadows farther back, in order to capture a dream.

So what's in a dream? It is a goal, ever before us, that nonetheless pushes us forward. So embrace your dream, whatever it is. Make it your reality!