While this take can be considered very on the nose, I feel drawn to express my sincere and deep thankfulness for dreams. Yes, literally what I get to experience most nights. I do not take my dreams for granted because I did not have a good relationship with them for many years. I am not proud to admit how addicted I was to marijuana for far too long.
No person has the right to rain on your dreams.
-Marian Wright Edelman
Even last night, I had a dream where I thought that I had started smoking again. It made me sad to see how quickly and suddenly I started sliding down that slippery slope. Those dreams are relieving to wake up from. They firm up my belief and determination to not regress moving forward. I honestly love my dreams too much now to sacrifice them. It is not worth the trade-off. I gain far more from what I journal each morning than what that feeling used to mask and hide. While I still have plenty of work to do, I face my fears instead of running from them. Recalling another recent dream, I ran from something scary, but I am gentler with myself these days as I learn lessons to work on in order to keep growing and improving. By God, I will gladly and gratefully glean grace gradually.
Too much credit is given to the end result. The true lesson is in the struggle that takes place between the dream and reality. That struggle is a thing called life.
-Garth Brooks
I believe wholeheartedly that dreams hold many lessons and meanings. As a part of my path and practice, I receive tests in my dreams. While some may think of dreams as a time to be silly and wild with no consequences for one’s actions, I disagree. We are still observed and judged during our dream state. If we do not control ourselves and act accordingly in those moments, then how are we to be trusted in these waking ones?
Never worry about failure. It’s gonna happen. But that’s OK: Go ahead, take chances… and you might just find that what feels like failure isn’t failure at all, it’s what inspires you to dream even bigger.
-Kermit the Frog
We should consistently carry a carefully cultivated character forward. I dream of fully embodying the virtues and beliefs that I have spent years writing about. What else is all of this for? My dream has been coalescing into this climactic culmination. For now, I will continue to journal my dreams each morning to strengthen my recall and enhance my takeaways. Without looking at my phone, I like to leave verbal reminders for the morning to help stimulate my memory since it can be tough to remember some without an anchor.
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.
-Henry David Thoreau
Marijuana was a coping mechanism in the past that anchored me to survival. Now, it is a nightmare that occasionally haunts my dreams. I have not appreciated the irony here until now – what used to prevent me from having or remembering any dreams is what taunts me in them from time to time. It certainly provides me with plenty of opportunities to practice better living. What can you choose to practice better in an upcoming dream?
Maybe it is wise. Maybe it is dumb. Time will tell.