Have you ever wondered what lies at the end of dreams? Certainly, something must exist when people reach a point where their dreams stall and finally end. At dreams' end, stark reality becomes the alternative and people begin uneventful searches for practical treasures within their short grasps. Hearts of non-dreamers begin to wilt as these people realize their stations in life with black-and-white clarity uncolored and unclouded by lofty aspirations of unfulfilled desires. Their sober heads begin to accept the nagging, gut-wrenching loss of spirit as each new expectation of tomorrow quickly becomes the disappointment of today.
In the lives of non-dreamers, acceptance of survival quickly replaces grandiose plans and illusions. Living in real time, these people quickly return to the basics of existence. "Being there" becomes the norm as the non-dreamers shift their activities from consistent hankerings of bright futures to half-hearted acknowledgments of meager fortune. Their once-prominent foregrounds fade into the backgrounds of scenes featuring other smiling faces of dreamers who step forward.
Adrenaline rushes occasionally cause the passion of non-dreamers to spike and surge in unison with reminiscences of the distant past. The lack of material substance in these memories causes the stories to fade more with each recurrence. The engines of their delivery sputter and die as the last drops of ardor burn through their complex systems. Smiles flatten; laughter murmurs; joy disappears.
The world of non-dreamers compresses into one dimensional simplicity. Suffering from the disability of discerning contrast and depth, they manuever flat, monotonous surroundings on numb feet. Containment breeds certain passivity, as they, like hounds on a measured chain, find the occasional distraction far beyond reach. Alone, they contend with the harsh elements as conditioned beasts and find some solace in simple creature comforts.
The house, the car, the furniture, the regret, the reward -- all become things in the way of the non-dreamers: these possessions and thoughts complicate any understanding of useful time that remains. Possessions and great thoughts are unattended monuments commemorating unfinished, unfulfilled ideals. Amid these cold structures ashes of previous wishes, impervious to downpours, litter the ground. Sunny days illuminate the detail of the wasteland without warming the hopeless inhabitants.
At the end of dreams people still live stiff lives of no nonsense. Devoid of "make believe," these non-dreamers know no escape from vexations other than fight or flight. Troubles don't magically go away or make cold-case files to be solved some future day. While suffering smarting defeats and narrow victories, the non-dreamers hone their survival skills through constant exposure to real and dangerous risks. Unfettered by fantasy, they deal. They exist to contrast the fanciful blabbering of dreamers intent on making a difference in a world.
2 comments:
Great insight. Although it's tough to keep believing in our dreams, especially when there are multiple failures, we need to keep going. Sometimes it's so much easier to just toss our dreams away if they are too difficult to achieve. This post is wonderful encouragement. But, the dog photo made me cry. He is so sad looking! We have to believe in ourselves and keep reaching to achieve the dreams that matter, not the ones that are easy to obtain. As an old friend once told me, "Never sell yourself short."
Exactly, Rox, but how about the hopeless and dreamless in society. Do most pass them by with a feeling of disdain. Push your thoughts into the unfortunate soul without any hope of future material attainment. Do you and I have an obligation to help pull them from their plight or to turn our gaze toward bright horizons. I'm not so sure anymore. I'm totally uncommitted. Do we merely become victims of ourselves or should we submit to help from the fortunate few?
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