They finished reading their bedtime story…she finished praying the Lord her soul would keep…as her mother tucked her in she asked, “Momma, why do we sleep?”
“And while we’re on the subject,” she said, her eyes now open and bright, “how did it come to be…we only sleep at night?”
Of course she knew the scientific answer…of which she could easily relate…but gazing into her chid’s eyes she thought…for now…science could wait.
“We are given many gifts when we’re created.” She said. “to use anyway we deem…but one of our greatest gifts…I believe…is our ability to dream.”
“I believe our dreams are important…their meaning so profound…so deep…and I believe our greatest dreams appear before us as we sleep.”
“And it is only after the sun goes down…of this I have no doubt…only in the the dark of night…that our dreams…like stars…come out.
“So you see the night is made not just for sleeping…it is for dreaming too…so tomorrow when you wake up…you can begin to make those dreams come true.”
“And if tomorrow a dream comes true…how wonderful….if not…her mother beamed…why that’s why we have the next night…for another chance to dream.”
“And have all your dreams come true Momma?” Her daughter asked…as into sleep she slid….Her mother kissed her on the forehead smiling…
“I know of one that did.”
Her life was not an easy one…it was filled with misfortune…heartache…and pain…but every time she’d fall…she’d pick herself up again.
She’d brush herself off…take a deep breath…then stand tall…all the while her optimism never wavered…and she never lost her smile.
I asked her one day, “How do you do it? How do you keep from feeling low? Is there a secret to your happiness…if so…I’d like to know.”
“The answer for me is simple.” She said. “Nothing too extreme…the key to my happiness has always been…my ability to dream.”
“When life hands me a disappointment…when I lose my self-esteem…when one dream fails…or has been broken…I dream another dream.”
“And when a dream has ended…good or bad…I take a moment to rejoice…or cry…then I remind myself there are as many dreams…as there are stars up in the sky.”
“Then I choose another star to dream on…and if that dream leads to scars…I look up to the heavens…and I choose another star.”
“I dream another dream.” She said. “And if another day I’m lucky enough to make it through…I stop and take a moment to count how many dreams I’ve made came true.”
Her life ended as all ours will and though I still think it unfair…remembering her words I chose not to live in my despair.
Instead I dream of the moment we will meet again…Hey! It is easier than it seems…to follow her advice…to dream another dream.
From the time you were a baby many nights after reading you a book and planting a kiss upon your head…after making sure there were no monsters lurking neath your bed.
After praying to the heavens how safe your soul should be kept…your mom and I loved standing by your bed and watching…as you slept.
Do not be alarmed it’s not as crazy as is seems…for parents often cherish every moment they are blessed to watch their children dream.
You see…while you are dreaming of soaring through the sky or sailing the ocean blue…or whatever you might be dreaming of…we are dreaming too.
Our dream is that your life will be like a fairy tale…with a happy ending just for you.
Our dream is that the dreams you dream will…all…one day…come true.
We whisper to you if one dream fails…we will be there with a smile and ice cream…to soothe your heart while encouraging you…to pick another dream.
And another…and another if you must…because in this world dreams are teeming…and while we watch you sleep we hope you never will stop dreaming.
We stopped watching you sleep long ago as the older and older you grew…but we never have…and never will…stop wishing for your dreams to come true…
You see wishing the best for their children…wishing all their dreams come true…wishing for their happiness…is just what parents do.
And no matter how old you get in life…if you ever need a bridge
from your dreams to our dreams remember…
there’s always ice cream in our fridge.
When his dream was shattered
he couldn’t understand how his life…once filled with comedy
Had changed course overnight and become a tragedy
So he traveled to the wise one and asked her,
when it comes to dreams…what wisdom could she impart….
“Your dreams,” she said with a smile, “are a blending of your mind…
your soul…
your heart.”
“There are three things to remember about dreams that apply to everyone…
even you.
The first is you must have a dream if that dream is ever to come true.
The second, when it comes to dreaming, is this reality
No dream, no matter how magnificent…comes with a guarantee.
The third thing you need to remember in this life as you wander through
is to never stop your dreaming because your last dream didn’t come true.
For it would truly be a tragedy if for the rest of your nights and days
you never knew true happiness was just a dream away.
She loved to dream when she was young…
on starlight and moonbeams…
She’d sit alone…let out a sigh…
close her eyes…and dream…
of adventures she’d be taking
on the land…the air…the sea….
of all the places she’d be going…
of the person she would be.
She loved to dream when she grew up
Sometimes she dreamed of fortune, love and fame…
But she’d often catch herself and smile…
for some dreams remained the same…
She’s older now and when she’s asked
Why do you still dream the way you do?
She smiles… “First you have to have the dream.” she says,
“if you ever want them to come true.”
Her life was not an easy one…she’d experienced misfortune, heartache… pain…
but every time she’d fall in life…she’d get back up again…
She’d brush herself off, massage her scars, stand tall and all the while
she’d find a way to move on…and she’d always wear a smile.
We asked her one day: How do you do it?
How do you keep your spirits high?
Is there a secret to your happiness…if so, please tell us why.
She said the answer for me is simple…nothing too extreme
The key to my happiness has always been in my ability to dream.
Life will have its ups and downs…filled with losing…and redeeming…
but I keep finding happiness…as long as I keep dreaming.
When life hands me a disappointment…when I’ve lost some self-esteem…
when one dream fails or is broken…I just dream another dream.
When one dream is over…good or bad…I take a moment to rejoice…or cry
then I remind myself there are as many dreams as there are stars up in the sky
Then I choose another star to dream on…and if that one leads to scars…
I look up to the heavens…and I choose another star.
And then I dream another dream she said…and when each day is through
I stop and take a moment to count…
how many dreams came true.
Her life was not an easy one…she’d experienced misfortune, heartache… pain…
but every time she’d fall in life…she’d get back up again…
She’d brush herself off, massage her scars, stand tall and all the while
she’d find a way to move on…and she’d always wear a smile.
We asked her one day: How do you do it?
How do you keep your spirits high?
Is there a secret to your happiness…if so, please tell us why.
She said the answer for me is simple…nothing too extreme
The key to my happiness has always been in my ability to dream.
Life will have its ups and downs…filled with losing…and redeeming…
but I keep finding happiness…as long as I keep dreaming.
When life hands me a disappointment…when I’ve lost some self-esteem…
when one dream fails or is broken…I just dream another dream.
When one dream is over…good or bad…I take a moment to rejoice…or cry
then I remind myself there are as many dreams as there are stars up in the sky
Then I choose another star to dream on…and if that one leads to scars…
I look up to the heavens…and I choose another star.
And then I dream another dream she said…and when each day is through
I stop and take a moment to count…
how many dreams came true.
Yesterday I was taken aback by something a girl behind the check-out counter said…
It made me lose my perspective as my expectations ran away with my head.
It happens when I least expect it and immediately I get burned
which brings me back to reality…and allows my humbleness to return.
The girl behind the cash register…I swear she she was only 14
was busy pricing our items when she looked up from her machine.
She stared at me…I smiled…she said, “Excuse me but you look just like….
And here is where my expectations took over…as my curiosity was spiked…
Maybe she’s going to say Sean Connery…and how would I respond…
If she thinks I bear a resemblance to the best of all the Bonds.
She might say I look like George Clooney…maybe she thinks I am his brother…
That might be a possibility…if we looked anything like each other.
Perhaps she’ll say I look like Leonardo da Vinci…I’ve always been a fan.
Even though my beard’s a little shorter…I consider myself a Renaissance man.
I would accept Ed Sheeran…after all we have the same round head…
although he is a little younger and my hair is grey…not red.
The Dalai Lama, Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, Steve Jobs…Einstein.
my expectations were aflame…
My mind was streaming with possibilities of all the people she could name.
Back to the girl behind the counter…once my face she finished appraising…
“You look just like my Grandpa.” She said, “the resemblance is amazing.”
I smiled as I fell back to Earth…and thanked her humbly…
looking like her Grandpa…was good enough for me.
Because she made the remark so innocently…with such elegance and grace…
and when she mentioned her Grandpa, she paused a moment,
and a smile crossed her face.
You’d think I’d learn my lesson…not to let my expectations take me to the beyond…
But as we left the store I couldn’t help wondering…
if her Grandpa…
is ever mistaken for James Bond?
One night as we tucked her into bed
She said, “Do you know what I want you to do?”
“Tell me.” we said with a smile...
“I want you to paint my ceiling blue.”
“And I want it to be sprinkled...
with clouds...
fluffy and white.
Because I want to know the sky is there
when I fall asleep at night.”
“But when we turn out the lights,” we said in parent thought,
“you won’t be able to see the sky.”
“It’s for when I fall asleep,” she smiled,
“and dream that I can fly.”
And who are we to quibble
with logic so innocent and bright?
So the next day we painted her ceiling blue
sprinkled with clouds...
fluffy and white.
If by morning as you awake your
dreams breeze out the window;
pray to the wind to breeze your
dreams back to you by nightfall;
dreams are never lost, only
forgotten.
And if, the wind blows your
dreams back through your window,
do me a favor? and direct the wind
to blow your dreams through the
front door, because only nightmares
and fear enter through open windows.
Pray to your dreams to rest in peace;
however, not in death, for death does
not sleep or rest, alike the night elves,
alike my spirit.
If your dreams are black and white,
take the colors of Spring and paint your
wishes with glee, with life, and
resurrection; do not let the paint run and
dry, withering leaves of Autumn.
And if, the wind chooses not to breeze
your dreams back to your slumber by
nightfall, is it not because you do not
dream deep enough; yet definitely it is the
lack of ambition within you to dream.
Blame not the wind and let your dreams
become a whispering breeze.
Meanwhile, I welcome the morning sun
with a cup of coffee.
Copyright2013 #soulkritic