Dreams May Not Be Forever

Dreams may not be forever. It seems to be a cruel thing to say. But as important as having a dream can be, they are sometimes crushed, outgrown, or we are disappointed in their realization. We also grow, and generate new dreams to take the place of the old.

Here’s the rub!

I had a friend who dreamed of the never-ending bliss that would be theirs when he and his girlfriend married. Neither was prepared for the realities of marriage, and between economic hardships and infidelity, the dream landed on the rocks.

I once dreamed of being an academic. A professor of anthropology. Inspiring students, doing research, publishing, and doing the round of symposiums. The jewel in the crown of this dream was attaining tenure at a major, appreciative university. The crash landing of that dream is another story. Suffice it to say I was flexible and resilient enough to eventually pick up the shards of the dream and create something new and fulfilling. However, as in all crash landings, there was much pain. Dreams do not die easily.

Canned Dreams

A dream should be of your own devising. But with the rise of mega-marketing, totally canned entertainment available on the remote, and invasive advertising, we’ve had a new phenomenon—the canned dream. Everything is tied up in one infomercial, or glossy brochure. It’s canned advertising from start to finish.

If you are not a happy consumer of mass market dreams, the adverlying, the canned experience is probably maddening for you. They will allow for very little departure from the script. And scripted they are, just like the dramas and comedies people stream on their mass media.

The Open Road

If you reject the canned dream, there are lots of possibilities and pitfalls. Because we do not construct dreams rationally, there is lots of room for disappointment. My friend and I both ignored lots of warning signs that might have prevented disaster, or eased the letdown. I am not advocating for a prescription or method to vet dreams. To say the least, that would kill the buzz and reduce the reason behind dreams. As the poem goes, ” a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”

People I know who toss over dreams because “you can’t possibly do it” miss the point of dreams. It’s good not to let things soar out of control. But a good dream has to be a bit aspirational. What’s the fun if you aren’t reaching out to touch and grasp something new and fascinating?

Well, get out there and have a good one!