The value of a dream

"No, I'm not giving up on my dream". "I'm just waiting to see what happens, before going on to Dream B; C; or D.".

I guess there is nothing so uplifting as a fresh new dream. The vision and the shape of the very idea makes you come alive inside out. In comparison, a fresh new dream that is one, or 10, year(s) older is somewhat.. stale and er... just old(er). This is not to say that when you keep the dream that you have today alive; that it would not be found just as fresh than when you first conceived it, 10 years down the road. Personally, I think that with a not-so-new dream, it's tough to keep it alive and well in your mind, and in your heart. People change and so do their dreams...

I have had so many dreams, as in things I wish to do and accomplish in my life. Some of the major ones, such as travel and study, have materialized. But others, like learning French (despite being given a language learning kit) have ended up as one of those unfulfilled 'wishful thinking'. Still others, such as learning a musical instrument, have evolved from one shape to another, in which the only improvement is in how big the instrument is :) Perhaps it's the rank and level of the dream that matters? Smallish and frivolous-ish sort of dreams get pooh-poohed away too easily down the dream to-do list?

However small or big the dream is then, it is sheer magic when dreams get fleshed-out in reality and that one is actually "living their dream". For instance my being able to travel, study, and work in the U.S.A. As a young girl, I once had this thought that foreign countries shown on TV were someone's propaganda in misleading naive Asians into thinking that blond-haired-blue-eyed people really exist. That once one takes off to go see these countries and people for themselves, they will find themselves literally at the edge of the world peering down an abyss of sorts! How silly... The next thing I knew, well... I knew that I simply had to go and see it for myself. And so I did and my dream came true :)

But rare is a dream that did not require a risk, or involve a consequence. Going off to see the world had put my self-identity at risk; on hold; stretching and pulling me in many directions, when eventually I recognized that I had a new self in my identity.

Going off to see the world also led me to newer dreams; so that from one country, I found myself exploring another, then another. Meeting new people, seeing new places filled me with much knowledge; much zest and desire to live my life well...and with adventure and excitement.

If we really treasure our dreams and respect them for what they are (and not allow others to disparage them so); we will see that the value of a dream is not in its age or shelf-life, for it is entirely up to you to keep it as young or as fresh as possible. It is also not a richer or more wonderful of a dream; if you preserve it in your head by fantasizing about it constantly. Our dreams become active in its value; if and when we attempt to act it out and allow life to teach us how to live our ultimate best. All the while, our dreams seek for only one thing from us: That we yield to newer dreams in the making.

So, dreamers of the world unite! And hey, what's stopping you from seeing your dreams come true? If you have not yet learn French, maybe it's time to have new dreams? Hit the "delete" button, and see what happens :) ...

"We're never too old to dream"
"Dream big"
"Welcome to the Dreamers' Club"