Dreams

The word 'dreams' could mean different things to different people. Some think of it as what we see when we sleep, while some think of it as something that does not let us sleep. Dreams could be a projection of our subconscious mind, or they could be our ambitions.

Dreams are what drive a person. Life without purpose is meaningless. Dreams create a purpose for a person, thereby adding meaning to their life. A driving force is like a guide in our lives, especially in this time, an age of utter confusion and chaos.

Life is running at such a fast pace that we are either feeling left out or absolutely exhausted. Right from our childhood to our teenage years, everything feels so burdensome. Waking up, going to school, coming back, going to tuitions, coming back again, finishing our homework, eating and sleeping on time, and then waking up to follow the same hectic routine again and again every day.

As we grow up and get into colleges or universities, life begins to pick its pace up. Studying, making friends and getting a job: becomes our main goal in life. Maintaining our grades, our social life, and everything else gives us no break for ourselves. No time to rest.

After this, life phases into something even more complicated yet fulfilling, for some. This is when one gets that pet dog they've always yearned for, or gets married to either the love of their life (or some stranger introduced by that neighbourhood auntie), or maybe even when one adopts a kid. This is when people get "settled down". For some it may feel like they are some rocks and for others, like a treasure chest, both in the bottom of an ocean. Life begins to feel monotonous here.

Once a person reaches their old age, when they mentally and physically cannot run in life's fast race anymore, they decide to rest. Then comes the moment when they realize that while running on that same path for the past 60 years, they had forgotten and forsaken their dreams. Some of us who liked to dance and sing at the age of 16 had to give it up because it would not make for an "actual" job. Some of us who wanted to pursue a PhD in a subject of their choice are raising their kids at the age of 27. Somebody who wanted to go on a solo trip to Vietnam had to cancel it because their cranky boss would not let them go.

Life is meaningless without dreams, but life in the 21st century leaves no room for dreams. Only a few people can escape the trap of expectations set by society and live their own lives the way that they want to. These "rebels" get to live their dreams.

We get so caught up in conforming to the societal norms and expectations that we forget what 6-year-old us would have wanted us to do with our lives, if they were to travel to the future and meet us. In the process of trying not to upset others, we upset our inner child by crushing our own dreams.

Despite all of this, there's a corner in our heart that is always lit with the bright glow of our dreams. The eyes light up like the starlit sky on a silent yet reflective night, when we are suddenly reminded of that dream we held onto, so tightly, before letting it go. Maybe the heart still wants it. Maybe there is still time.