Recently, I have come across several of the "don't give up your dreams and they will come true" sentiments that give so much hope, but also seem to me like an order to stop thinking rationally. Dream your dream and stop looking at the real world, is that a way to live? I thought about it.
We all have dreams - big and little ones. We dream of a Sunday without work or a journey to Mexico or meeting our favourite star. Good news: dreams can be realized ! Some of them, at least. If you set yourself a realistic goal and if you think about what you must do to make it come true, you can work for the realization of your dream. You can also set yourself a more realistic goal, or one on the way to the final destination. This way, dreams can come true - and you may have noticed I spoke of "goals" rather than dreams. Because most of our "dreams" are goals that we can achieve if we work for them - or change if we see they are wrong or impossible.
The word "impossible" reminded me of the simple statement on a friend's website that I quoted above:The impossible is impossible. I find this important to bear in mind, because it is so true. I am dreaming of being 20, slim, young and ravishingly beautiful. As I am a normal middle-aged woman, this is impossible, and as the impossible is impossible, I can stop wasting my time dreaming of this and go for something more realistic. Of course, my friend's statement is a useful thought in a lot of situations - if politicians promise the impossible, we should not believe them.
This leaves the question who determines what is impossible. Of course, we can use logic, our knowledge of the laws of nature, our general knowledge and experience. And yet ... there are dreams that seem impossible, but can be the driving force behind our activities. The dream of peace and justice for all the world, for example, has made a lot of people make a lot of little steps. The dream that all these little steps will one day add up to a great change for the better, is also at the back of my mind and it will be with me until the end of my life. And maybe it is not so much a dream, but mankind's long-term goal...
And what is your big dream ?
Visiting Hong Kong in 2007 - a dream came true !
