It takes a special kind of person to see a world beyond himself of herself, beyond his or her time or circumstances. It takes a special kind of person to see a world that does not yet exist, to believe that their ideas can become reality. These special people share an important quality: They are dreamers. While some might say dreamers are those that walk around with their head above the clouds, not quite tethered to reality, I say dreamers are those who see what could be rather than what is. These four have shown us the power of positive thinking and dreaming:
Anne Frank
Anne Frank was one of the strongest individuals in history, in my opinion. Through her diary, we are introduced to the ever-present brightly shining inner light that this special girl possessed. Anne is one of history’s top dreamers because she taught us that, even in the darkest times, there is still beauty, positivity, and most important of all, hope.
“I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Who better to put on a list of legendary dreamers than the man with a dream? MLK did not earn a spot on this list purely because of his “I have a dream” speech, however. He was a man who knew that, in order for your dreams to become a reality, you must sometimes face great adversity. He fought for justice and became the change he wanted to see. He spoke words of truth and peace, and worked tirelessly to remove some of our nation’s greatest inequities.
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
Malala Yousafzai
Malala is no stranger to adversity. She has spent the majority of her life fighting inequality and even suffered a personal attack from the Taliban because of her commitment to speaking up for what she believes in, her pursuing her education in Pakistan. She understands the weight that education holds in making a positive impact in the world. At only 18, Malala is one of the world’s leading voices in education advocacy and is the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala shows us that there is no age limit on making a difference.
"Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow's reality."
Walt Disney
While Walt may not have led a great social movement or worked to end inequality, he showed us all the importance of imagination and what can happen when you never give up on your dreams. Disney, in fact, created the land of dreams, and his legacy continues to live today. He may say that it all started with a mouse, but in my opinion, the credit should be given to the man behind the mouse. This man has inspired us all to dream a little bigger and made many of our days a little brighter.
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."
These four are truly extraordinary dreamers, and if their success has taught us anything, it's that dreams really do come true. So keep dreaming, my friends.
