Life has a way of pulling our dreams away from us: sometimes we have to put them aside to meet the daily demands of survival; sometimes the obstacles to reaching them seem too difficult. As we get older and gain more "life experience", we let go of our dreams and put them down as "childish" and "idealistic". We become afraid to take risks.
But when we let our dreams die, we burnout, have accidents, suffer from heart attacks and cancer, and lose our sense of joy and wonder about the world.
Here are three "death sentences" for dreams:
"There's not enough time"
Ever noticed that you make time for the things that you really want to do (whether it is work-related, or a leisure pursuit)? I've met some pretty busy people in my life (including Vered and me) and they always have enough time to do everything they really want to do.
There are 24 hours in a day available: it is up to you to fill them with meaning and purpose.
"I've seen it all"
This is the cynic's standard response to life: I'm not going to bother to dream or try to realize my dreams, because I've seen so many disasters and failures. I KNOW it won't work out: I have learned all I had to learn and know all I need to know. This attitude fails to recognize that life is a magical school and grand adventure - we don't really know what's around the corner and what more it has to teach us.
Everyone I ever met who achieved greatness was always eager both to learn and experience more. For myself, I know - the day I stop being curious, is the day my soul has died.
"I'm too old for that kind of thing"
Some call this maturity. I call it death.
I have met "old" people who can run circles around a twenty-something and I've met teenagers who have as much energy and enthusiasm as a corpse. There are retirees who go directly to the senior's home, and there are retirees who seize their new freedom from kids and work and start their life again with zest and energy.
It's all about attitude. When you ask for nothing, expect nothing, and contribute nothing, that's what you end up with.
The more you put in - the more you get out.
Our life purpose is to discover and experience it all... And if you're reading this (which means you are not dead yet), then your life purpose is not yet achieved!
