"Things that stop you dreaming"

     If you are of flesh and blood; if the gears of a mind turn within you, shifting from moment to moment; if a heart beats inside you; if you are human... then you've had a dream. From the wisps of a child aspirng to be the very picture of goodness and courage as a superhero, or thirsting for the beauty and responsibility of being looked up to and loved by so many as a princess, to the dreams of having a name and changing the world by becoming the next great inventor or scientist of our time, to the wild fantasies that are not quite impossible like being a rockstar or an astronaut, to the heartfelt wants fueled by love such as wanting to build a better future for your children or traveling the world as a missionary, all the way down to the hopeful daydream of Bobby asking you to the dance or simply wild salmon for dinner. 
     There is no way to deny it, we have all had a dream. And the beautiful thing is, as with most personal experiences, there is no way to quantify a dream. We are born with the full capacity to dream. It is true that a child who dreams of a new toy for Christmas can want it just as badly as a person who's devoted twelve years to finding a cure wants the answer. And what does that mean? That that emotion exists in us for a purpose, we are not meant to stifle them or brush them off, leaving them behind in a dusty corner of our heart. 
     Some of us have a childhood dream which morphs into its "real life" equivalent because after all the avenue seen in our heads is just a means to fulfilling the deeper need of our beings. Like maybe our little superhero from earlier now sees himself displaying his leadership and strength as a professional athlete. Many of us change our dreams every day, but the thing is they are all entangled in one massive and masterfully weaved web. They are all connected. Connected by the root of all dreams: love. Because when all is said and done no one really "dreams" of wealth in the material sense. Sure some people think that's what will make them happy and some people fall prey to the vicious cycle of money and power, but underneath even the greediest even the most misguided of characters you'll uncover a heart that wants love. All our different passions and talents are instruments to in one way or another show love, give love, get love. That is why the most happy and fulfilled people are most often those who devote their lives to the service of others. So in a way, every time a person gives up on a dream a little bit of faith, a little bit of hope, and a little bit of love die. And who can afford that in this world? We all watch far too many dreams die every day, a few right when kids start to grow up too fast, a few when it comes time to be "realistic," a few when you get caught up in the politically correct "way," and the rest when you give up altogether on becoming who you once thought you could be. All the while being bombarded with images and messages of how you should be who you are as long as who you are fits within the criteria. 
     So yes, it is true that sticking to your dream when the going gets tough and it starts being attacked and torn down is not easy. It means deciding what it's worth, it means making sacrifice after sacrifice, it means taking the hits day in and day out, it means sticking your neck out on a daily basis, it means giving up on the world's "dream" for you, it means making some people very jealous and angry, it means never sleeping as much as you need to. It also means being proud of who you are, it means emboldening others to believe in something good, it means learning to love where you are in your journey and trusting that you're on the right path, it means truly understanding that "normal is an illusion," it means letting go of worry and doubt and stereotypes and gossip and and mockery and prejudice and ridicule and embarrassment and fear, it means knowing that you may fail one hundred times before the smallest success and being willing to risk it anyway, it means laughing more and loving more and hoping and praying, it means being able to see each tomorrow as better than today, it means doing it all for something greater. For as Mother Theresa said in one of my favorite quotes: "It was never between you and them anyway." 

     I'll leave you with this last thing. Give this song a listen. Really listen. Ever since I first heard it I regarded it as one of the saddest songs ever written. Listen and promise yourself that that'll never be you. If you can listen to this song and internalize it without getting the slightest bit choked up or misty eyed, then I think you, along with too many others, have forgotten what t is to dream. And that, my friend, is the saddest story of all.