I love this quote:
“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.” - T.E. Lawrence
2020 started with #2020vision - #2020goals etc, the usual new year zeal and optimism. Big dreams were announced and hope was infectious.
But then life happened...and you know the rest.
Say no more.
On Christmas day I watched Pixar's newest film called "Soul" starring Jamie Foxx. It follows the life of Joe, a talented middle-aged Jazz teacher, whose dream is to play for a big band and finally be recognized as a musician. Jazz is his dream, his purpose and reason for living. One day he gets his big break and on his way home to suit up, he falls down a pothole and dies. Ha!
Like 2020, Joe's life took an unexpected turn. He didn't see it coming, didn't plan for it and most of all, it messed up his dreams — or so he thought. The film is the journey of him learning that living is more important than achieving dreams. I must say, it's really Pixar at their best. Great storytelling.
The film made me think about my life and the goals that I set myself. How many of us get lost in creating stuff and forget to enjoy the simple things in life — like good health. And why is it that when someone asks "Hey, what are you up these days?", we sometimes feel like we have to give an impressive answer or say something that boasts achievement. I need to work on that one.
Moving Forward
Moving forward, I want to be a daydreamer! This means; dreaming bigger, setting goals, investing in my creativity but all the while enjoying a peaceful walk in the woods. And hey, why not share a dumb Instagram post with my friends so we can actually laugh out loud instead of typing - lol. I'll build my awesome Youtube channel and also make time to send my granny in Uganda videos of me dancing to Afro beats. It makes her smile😄. I want to be awake when I dream. I want to be present. The danger of dreams is that they're always set in the future and if you're not careful, you can miss the beauty of the present.
And lastly, I'll be saying NO to a lot of things in 2021. Pleasing people at the expense of your sanity just isn't worth it.
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? - Matthew 16:26
Hey, if you enjoyed this post I'd love to know what you think in the comments below. And if you want to share it...because you are an awesome human being, I will understand.
Arthur