The word dream in simple terms can either allude to the visions that we see when we sleep or the aspirations that we have for life. But what does a dream mean when you intertwine those simple meanings with the individual experiences that we all have?
What is your dream? Is it surrounded by the fact that you have children? Or is it an aspiration that you have had since a child? Each of our unique experiences that develop over time play a part in how we answer that question.
For children the answer seems as simple and easy as saying “My dream is to have a lollipop,” or “I want to be a knight.” Their eyes flicker for a moment when asked the question, but they answer with ease and no hesitation as if they’ve had that question on the forefront of their brain every moment of every day.
Some college students, who are close to opening the gates to their future with their diplomas, have dreams that get them out of Iowa and place paychecks in their bank accounts. Some of their dreams derive from childhood aspirations that they are still clinging on to, not yet ready to let go of yet.
At some point dreams seem to stop stemming from the innocence and pure essence of joy that children have and start to form based on other people or circumstances.
It is possible to have more than one dream hovering at the front of our brains. Moms and Dads have dreams for their children, for their careers, for their personal life, and probably in several other categories too. Their dreams may be what keeps them moving forward. They’re what keeps them getting out of bed every day at the possibility that what they do everyday, may drive them one step closer to accomplishing those dreams.
The phases of life that people go through either build upon or scrape away at the dreams that they create. Dreams come from people who make up our everyday lives, tragedy, age, optimism, hope, reality, and everything else that fills in the crevices of our time. Some people think of a new dream every hour and then there are some that give up on dreaming entirely.
People, ages 3 to 93, answer the question “What is your dream?”
“A lollipop”
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Skylar “Skybug” age 3
“I wish I was a knight.”
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Cashton “Cash” age 5
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Everybody gets along
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I would have 2 dogs when I’m older
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I could be less clumsy
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I want to be a scientist that finds a cure and makes medicine to cure cancer
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There would be no global warming and pollution
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Everybody in the world has a house and food
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We could be living with dinosaurs that don’t eat us
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Emma age 10
“I wanted to be a vet. I won a field trip from school to go to the vets office. I watched a dog get neutered and I fainted. Vets can’t faint.”
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Reese age 13
“To play in the MLB, I know it’s a far goal, but it’s all I’ve ever wanted. A torn ACL hasn’t made me give it up yet.”
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Nick age 21
“My dream is to be completely independent on myself. I love surrounding myself with great people, but I think it’s so rewarding to be able to be confident, financially stable, and utterly dependent on yourself. My big dream is to move to New York and work my way up to be able to work in fashion and marketing. A girl with big dreams belongs in a big city.”
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Lauren “Lo” age 22
“I dream of writing a book and getting published. I hope my boys turn out to be good people who find love. I also want a vacation house. It’s funny both my husband and I actually became what we dreamed of becoming when we were little, but now we both want to do something else. Chris used to practice talking on the radio when he was little, and now he hosts his own show. I’ve wanted to be a lawyer since I was 15.”
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Katy age 41
“My dream is that my kid’s achieve their dreams no matter what they are.”
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Jenny age 43
“To live a long happy life, and for my children to do the same”
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Dana age 43
“I dream of being a backup dancer for Leon Russel, but he died and I have
Parkinson’s so that dream is dead.”
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Maris age 60
“I have had many dreams in my life. Dreams are what propels one forward in life right? They are very valuable commodities that are forever changing. In this stage of my life, my dreams are more for my family than myself. My biggest dream is that all my family obtains all they strive for in their life. Next dream… a cottage by the ocean.”
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Dianne age 65
“I don’t dream. Are you kidding me at my age, what the hell would I have dreams for?”
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Ronald age 93