Advocating For Dreams

Have you ever thought that what you dream and work for will never see fruition ? Do you still struggle with the demons of doubt that whisper, "You Can't"

I, for one, remember what my mama used to say; that ole adage, "There's no such word as can't". Long before Martin Luther King's famous and decidedly historically speech on racial equality known as the "I Have Dream" speech, there was a wonderful , well versed Renaissance poet by the name of Langston Hughes, whose works captured my heart and caused me to dream.

In "A Dream Deferred" The poet ponders what happens when one gives up on their dream...does it wither and die? What becomes of your dreams in the face of rejection, time and time again? Do you give up? Give in to the seeds of doubt? Grow weary of feelings of inadaquacy; that you're undeserving; not capable; that you're just not the one?

I remember when my son was young and a teacher called me to say that he was a 'gifted' child who should be placed in a school for 'gifted' children. To this day, I've never said to my son, "Son, you are gifted." I think he realized that it takes hard work to achieve goals when at 14, and entering his freshman year of high school, the school he'd coveted denied him entrance because he'd fallen into the trap of believing that he didn't have to study because the teachers thought him to be 'gifted'.

A hard lesson to learn at such a young age, to be sure. I tell this story, only to stress that hardly anyone attain success in what it is that they're passionate about, whithout laying the foundation of hard work, preserverence, tenacity, faith and determination.

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As my son prepares to complete his degree in Premed and apply for Medical School, I often reflect upon the hard work he's put into following his dreams and that he, as well as I, know, the real work for him, is only about to start.

Whatever your dreams are in life, dare to apply yourself to become what permeates your soul with insideous joy.

I don't feel that dreams have to follow a timeable. One is never to old to explore the thing that brings them happiness. The struggles to attain, doesn't outway the immense satisfication of achievement.

A great Poet once pondered what happens when a dream becomes deferred? I plan never to find out. At my age, I continue to dream...Hopefully, at your age, You, too, will dare to follow your dreams.

Clara B.Freeman is a freelance writer/ poet whose dream is to advocate and counsel from living life experiences. to comment on this article, or, request more information about her work, email her clarawriter@att.net