Dream On...and on...and on...

Photograph by Fran Murphy
What’s the difference between having faith and magical thinking? Faith sounds much more grounded for some reason. Like it’s anchored to something tangible. Whereas magical thinking sounds like it has no boundaries at all. It’s all over the place… like dust. With magical thinking one could wish to be Peter Pan, or perhaps Rocky Balboa.

Magical thinking often escorts me to my daydreams, helping me to see everything that I yearn for, inciting my heart rate to quicken…and my mouth to water with desire. I envision myself holding the sought after trophy, taking my grateful bows…and it somehow changes me. Wondrously, it elevates my faith and inspires me to believe that nearly anything is possible!

I heard a story once about a woman who kept telling everyone that she was going to win the lottery. After a while people got sick of hearing her rant on and on about it. Friends began avoiding her…thinking that maybe she had blown a fuse...or two. Her father finally forbade her to speak on the subject when in his company. Then one day she won eleven million dollars. She phoned her father… hysterical, and told him that she had won. Disgusted with her latest delusion…he hung up on her. So, she drove to his house and presented him with the proof. He was an instant believer.

Did she create her own destiny with the positive words that she spoke? Was she a psychic? Or did she just have a hunch…a gut feeling that she couldn’t shake? Then again maybe it was all a coincidence and she was incredibly lucky. Of course there are all types of ways to attract luck. In Japan the white Maneki Neko (Lucky Cat) is valued for inviting in happiness, and the black Maneki Keko is valued for getting RID of bad luck. Yet, in America we bite our nails when a black cat crosses our path. I don’t know much about superstitions… but I do think that belief systems are incredibly interesting.

When it comes to making our dreams come true I think that we need to take advantage of every resource available to us….both tangible and magical. Positive words, thoughts, and visuals, coupled with hard work and determination. Not to mention the very fundamental, and often overlooked, rites of prayer and meditation. There are so many wonderful ingredients at our disposal!

Life is ours to do with as we choose. Some may choose to curse the darkness and make excuses for why they have given up. While others use that very same darkness as a stepping stone to reach higher places, strategically ignoring the naysayers and dream slayers, until they finally reach their desired destination.

People achieve their dreams every day. So…if you have a fantastic dream don’t give up on it. Keep on believing, and doing what you must do, until you breathe your last exalted breath and they’re printing out copies of your legendary obituary.
Aerosmith says it well...

“Dream until your dreams come true.”