Dreams

Day 24...

My sweet cousin asked after yesterday's post  "But what if we don't have any dreams?" That's a really good question. I had to think about it a lot. Overnight even. I didn't trust my gut reaction, so I had to dig deep. I'm going to write a bit of other nonsense first, then I'll let you know what I think is the answer.

I talked about how dreams change. When we are children, we dream of being firemen, ballerinas, doctors, football stars, supermodels. We dream these things because that's what we see. We as humans try and emulate the things we are most exposed to, to be like the people that surround us. Even the celebrities on television, we dream we are connected to them and want to be like them.

That's not always a good thing. In modern society, as often as not, the celebrities that kids worship (and yes, it's pretty much worship, not just admire) can be some of the worst influences for them.  Beyonce`, famous singer, claims herself a feminist, yet she tolerates an abusive relationship and makes millions exploiting herself as a sex toy. Mel Gibson, the actor, portrays characters with honor and respect on the big screen, yet captured in a drunk rant are his misogyny and bigotry. Ray Rice, football star, displays one set of talents on the football field and quite another when he's alone in an elevator.

Kids need better heroes. Someone like Dr. Ben Carson. He's a famous neurosurgeon now, because his mother inspired him to read and learn so he could rise above the ghetto he was born in. Someone like Walt Disney, who struck out on his own to be part of Hollywood and made his first cartoon in a back room he rented for $10 a month, using a backdrop made of scrap wood.

To the youth of America, people with lots of money seem to represent fulfilled dreams. I'd say those people are more likely than the rest of us to have unfinished business, since they don't have free time to pursue anything besides a career. And while a successful career gives you the money to fulfill other dreams that cost money, it doesn't challenge you to find your dreams the hard way. The good old-fashioned way of working for them.

I've said before that anything worth having is worth working for, by doing your best you'll achieve more than just the dream. You'll have the satisfaction of a job well done. I know that's the hard way, but it's the way most people reach their dreams. Sometimes you don't even realize that the things you're doing are actually completing dreams. It might just seem like you and your spouse are working all the time, never taking a break. Raising your kids, teaching them right. Watching them grow into good decent people. Saving up enough to buy your first real house. Having enough money in the bank to sleep well at night.

Now for the answer to my cousin's question. "But what if you don't have any dreams?" My first thought was "Then you've settled for what you've been given in life." Then I remembered who I was talking to, and realized something else. Maybe you don't have any dreams because you've gotten everything you really wanted.

Lesson Twenty Four: Are you satisfied with your life? Do you feel you have unfinished business, wanting to do things that you gave up on previously? Or do are you happy the way things are in your world, and wouldn't change a thing? Think about what goals you had for life, and you might find you're closer to them than you realized.

706 to go...