Dreams

Please forgive me for updating this blog as infrequently as I do. My life in Nepal is a bit hectic, and WiFi is not always easy to come by, but more importantly, when I write a post here, I want it to mean something. 

Today I have a brief, seemingly generic message for you: follow your dreams. In the song "Grey Street," Dave Matthews sings: "Take what you can from your dreams, make them real as anything. That will take the work out of the courage." While I have a dear attachment to this song, and you may see it referenced again, that particular line has always struck me. What does he mean, "take the work out of the courage?" I puzzled over it for a long time.

The thing about dreams is that they are unique to you. Sure, people share similar types of dreams: to perform in the Broadway stage, for example, or to raise a family. But just because these dreams are similar does not mean they are the same. Only you can see the world the way you do; you are the only audience to the dreams inside your head, whether they come in sleep or wishful thinking. And since you are the only person who knows those dreams, you are the only one who can make them real.

Now, of course, life does not always turn out the way we intend, often because of outside forces and actions. Some dreams are impossible - you will not sprout wings and soar above the earth, because as far as we know, that defies biology as we understand it. But many dreams are simply improbable - becoming President of the United States, for example. It is a highly coveted position with a slow turnover rate.

What is to keep you from trying, though? There is truth to the saying: "Shoot for the moon, and even if you miss, you will land among the stars." If you start on a road toward a dream with an open heart and mind, you never can predict what you will find along the way. Maybe your bright dream was actually a neon sign directing you to your true purpose or place in the world.

Having an open heart and mind is just as important as learning to overcome discouragement; the two go together. Don't let other people crush your dreams, and make sure not to do it to other people. Instead, when you meet people along the road, help them along their way, and welcome help when it is offered to you. While dreams may be unique to individuals, we are nothing if not social beings, and no dream can be sustained by one pair of hands.

If you have any doubt that dreams can be achieved, even in surprising ways, read The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, or watch this Youtube video. Trust me, it is well worth your time. Be prepared to laugh, cry, and have your heart feel all funny. Whenever I doubt, I think of this man, and my fears disappear.

Have a beautiful day.