Do you remember when you were a kid? Of course you do. It was the greatest time of your life. No worries, no responsibilities. You could walk up to another kid and ask if they want to play tag with you and all of sudden, you found your best friend. However, I think one of the most beautiful things of a kid’s childhood are their views of the world in its purest form.
Untouched, and unadulterated, a child is able to see the world as their playground, and they’re able to see themselves as anything they want to be. That’s why a little boy is able to tie a bed sheet around his neck, having it hang down across his back like a cape, and confidently run through the yard, arms outstretched and making noises similar to that of a jet.
That’s why when a little girl sees that her mom or dad isn’t feeling well, she gives them daily check-ups with her toy store-bought doctor kit instructing them to take this, drink this and look at the light like this. It is that immense and innocent imagination which lets them believe they are what they say they are and no one can tell them any different. It is that belief that they can be anything that allows them to dream, and also carry and follow those dreams well past their childhood.
Unfortunately, when we grow older and leave our childhood, we also grow out of that innocent thinking. We start to experience the world more, taking in the good and the bad. We begin to understand concepts that we couldn’t grasp as a child, and our once untouched, unadulterated view of the world is challenged. It is at these times when we are young that our minds and views are the most malleable and the dreams we once had become fictitious in the eyes of the world, and adults tell us to get our heads out the clouds and be “realistic.” When we start to believe our dreams don’t fit the parameters of society and expectations of our parents and elders, it is then that our dreams die.
As people we have stopped dreaming, and stopped pushing the limitations of our abilities. We’re becoming content with complacency and fearful of failure in chasing our dreams. I’ve heard far too many stories of girls who have dreamed of being platinum recording artists and professional ballet dancers being shot down because their dream was unrealistic, and the fire that once burned so brightly inside of them extinguishes.
Chasing a dream is not childish, or something little kids do. It is at the core of human existence to become everything and achieve everything you’ve ever wanted. That is why it is so important for us as a society to nurture and uplift the dreams of the young, because that will be their drive and their motivation throughout life -- even if we don’t understand it, or necessarily agree with it. Taking up a career you don’t want to because it has a bigger paycheck, or because it makes your parents proud, satisfies other people’s intentions for you. Your dreams aren’t meant to satisfy other people, they are for your benefit.
Your dreams are your very life force. They have the ability to motivate you and carry you to places you once saw as unreachable. They are the very thing that makes life worth living and getting up and grinding, day in and day out, to achieve them. Your passion and determination for your dreams may be the very thing that inspires other people to follow their dreams.
There was a man that sparked the movement of an entire nation with a speech titled “I Have a Dream.” Dreams have shown the ability to change the world and the hearts and lives of people. Dreams are powerful and meant to be sought after. So then the question rises, why are you neglecting yours? Your dreams can give you the world if you have the courage to chase after them. Don’t ever be afraid of chasing them.
The road will be long and hard and it won’t be without its failures, but the finish line is what makes it all worth it. You don’t ever want to look back on your life and have the question resonating “what if?” We all have dreams. No matter how far we’ve pushed them to the back of our mind, they’re there. They’re waiting for you to chase them with an unquenchable fire and zeal so they can fulfill your heart’s desire, and give you the life you’ve always wanted. You’ve only got one brushstroke to paint a picture vivid. You’ve only got this one life, so how are you going to live it?
