Wake Up & Dream

Wake Up & Dream

By: Ramona Ward Senior Creative Contributor

Usually when people talk about dreams, they speak of chasing or pursuing them. They speak of going after those dreams, going after what they want. Because our dreams tend to be the revelation of our passion and purpose in life. Our dreams are tied to the very thing that will define who we are and the legacy that we will leave. And yet, for so many of us, our dreams seem to be so elusive. And for others of us, our dreams appear unattainable that we don’t bother to even consider them beyond what we imagine,

let alone go after them. But I submit to you, we don’t pursue our dreams as we think. On the contrary, our dreams chase us.

Opportunity comes around more often than we think. But we ignore it. Because of so many reasons. Some are actually legitimate, however most of the time, the reasons for not taking chances are nothing more than excuses. But how many times has the same opportunity knocked on your door? Maybe it came in a different way or was presented by a different person in a manner that you never imagined. But when you think about it, when you really consider it, you find that the same opportunity has come around again and again.

around again and again. And again. So what of it? Either lightning does strike the same place twice or your purpose is hot on your heels, trying to get you to see yourself at your destiny. Our dreams live in us. Like our parents’ characteristics that are born in us, but don’t necessarily show up until later on in our lives, our dreams are innate. When we are made, our purpose is created and planted deep within us, waiting to be watered and nurtured and cultivated, until it is ready to burst forth and bloom. Too often, though, we neglect the seed within and we pursue other interests at the expense of missing our callings. And we find ourselves stuck, stagnant and dead. And we complain about the hows and the whys of our deferred dreams. Except

we’re hardly honest enough to acknowledge - to ourselves, let alone out loud - that the reason our dreams have been put off is because we don’t walk through the wide open door of our destiny. We’d rather try other things all in the name of finding something that we absolutely love. We neglect to look within. And so, our dreams stop waiting for us and they begin to manifest themselves.

We suddenly enjoy painting. Or music is a gift that comes naturally to us. We can write a business plan or organize a youth initiative. We are naturals at reaching communities and evoking necessary change among our people. We excel at academics or athletics with ease.

Or we are natural-born entertainers and making people laugh is effortless. Situations continue to come up and expose our amazing gifts and talents. But when it’s time to actually explore those things, we brush them off as if they’re nothing. “I’ve always been funny.” “I’ve been singing since I was three.” “People are drawn to me.” And you never once stopped to think that perhaps, just maybe, that dream you have to turn the youth in your community around and give them a voice is tied to your natural love of public speaking and planning events? Your dream is standing in your face, waiting for you to wake up and live it!

A quote by George Santayana says,

“The dreamer can know no truth, not even about his dream, except by awaking out of it.” My interpretation of this is that we are so good are not seeing what’s right in front of our faces because we are too busy sleeping, and wishing for what we see behind our eyes when they’re closed. And until we open our eyes and take a really good look, we will always “chase our dreams” and wonder why we can’t catch up to them. We will always wonder why they seem to get away from us. We will always wonder why the things we go after never seem to work out for us. I’ll tell you why. Because it’s not your dream. And I am not saying that we cannot pursue multiple interests and other things that we enjoy and even love. But that thing that already belongs to you, that thin that you should be sharing and imparting to the world is already

yours for the taking. You just have to stop running and allow it to catch you.

Certainly, dreams take a lot of work. You will kick and scream, and you will live in denial. You will lose. A LOT. You will fall and you will get up, only to get knocked down again. You will get kicked while you’re down and you will be pushed around while you’re up. You will hear a thousand and one no’s until you get to your yes. You will scream and fight the air, and you will cry your eyes out. You will quit. And you will begin again. And again. And when all is said and done, when it gets down to it, you will see that watching your dream come to fruition was worth every hurt and ache and tear. And you will think, “I’d do it all again.” But first, you have to stop running. Stop making your dreams chase you. It’s time to allow purpose to catch up.

It’s time to wake up to your dreams.