A close friend of mine is going through a transformation. He recently self realized that his dreams, the things he really wanted to accomplish, were unattainable. Not just out of reach and scope but just plain impossible. As he was describing the paralyzing affect this realization is having on him it dawned on me that the best dreams often are impossible.
When I was a kid I dreamed that I could fly. I was obsessed with the thought that this dream could actually become reality. If I worked hard enough, studied long enough, practiced my jumping skills maybe, just maybe I would learn to fly! Obviously at some point I realized that flying isn't something the human form can do, no matter how much time and effort we put into the study of it. But, when I was 19 I did fly in a small trick plane and as we did circles in the sky, nose dived and jetted up, floated above the Fan, it felt as if I were flying - not in a plane but just me in the sky like a bird.
My point is I don't agree with the notion that we should give up on our dreams just because they are impossible. I think our hopes and desires can be attainable, just not necessarily in the literal sense. If we want something badly enough I think we are cable of finding a way, maybe not a traditional way but a way, of making them happen.
I'm sure the creators of Star Trek wanted to space travel, for example. They more than likely dreamed of traveling to alternate universes and meeting strange, beautiful, even scary aliens with advanced brains and magical talents. And they found a way to make that happen, by creating a world where those things really do exist. Look at Harry Potter, for another example. The author found a way to make her dreams come to life in such a magical and believable way that millions of children (and adults) started reading, actually reading books! It was the single most positive impact on our children's generation. What if her therapist told her to stop hoping for her dreams, to "settle" for the here and now?
I understand that we live in the real world and that we need to be happy with that and not fall prey to false hopes and dreams. I also acknowledge that spending too much time on fantasy and fiction can postpone our ability to function in society and get our real work done. Lord knows my fantasy world takes up way too much of my waking time and I would probably be more productive if I spent less time writing, reading and thinking about fantasy and fiction and more time working on actual projects. But the universe gave us these amazing brains and minds that allow us to dream, fantasize, and imagine. I think it's such a waste if we aren't allowed to bask in that for at least some part of our day, every day. And I think that most of our best inventions came out of somebody's fantasy state.
What if I could talk to anyone, anywhere real time? If I could share my photos, my ideas, my schedule with not just my friends but people I don't even know? Wait, I can. Don't you think that was somebody's dream at some point in their life?
So my advise isn't to stop spending time on impossible dreams. It's to take those dreams and turn them into possibilities. Take 2 hours a day, or whatever extra time you have and write down a few steps you can take to get closer to achieving your goals. Who knows where your dreams can lead you and what positive impact they can have on the masses.
In the words of one of my favorite fictional characters, "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one..."
Here is a fun dessert recipe sure to help make at least your dream for rich, creamy chocolate come true!
When I was a kid I dreamed that I could fly. I was obsessed with the thought that this dream could actually become reality. If I worked hard enough, studied long enough, practiced my jumping skills maybe, just maybe I would learn to fly! Obviously at some point I realized that flying isn't something the human form can do, no matter how much time and effort we put into the study of it. But, when I was 19 I did fly in a small trick plane and as we did circles in the sky, nose dived and jetted up, floated above the Fan, it felt as if I were flying - not in a plane but just me in the sky like a bird.
My point is I don't agree with the notion that we should give up on our dreams just because they are impossible. I think our hopes and desires can be attainable, just not necessarily in the literal sense. If we want something badly enough I think we are cable of finding a way, maybe not a traditional way but a way, of making them happen.
I'm sure the creators of Star Trek wanted to space travel, for example. They more than likely dreamed of traveling to alternate universes and meeting strange, beautiful, even scary aliens with advanced brains and magical talents. And they found a way to make that happen, by creating a world where those things really do exist. Look at Harry Potter, for another example. The author found a way to make her dreams come to life in such a magical and believable way that millions of children (and adults) started reading, actually reading books! It was the single most positive impact on our children's generation. What if her therapist told her to stop hoping for her dreams, to "settle" for the here and now?
I understand that we live in the real world and that we need to be happy with that and not fall prey to false hopes and dreams. I also acknowledge that spending too much time on fantasy and fiction can postpone our ability to function in society and get our real work done. Lord knows my fantasy world takes up way too much of my waking time and I would probably be more productive if I spent less time writing, reading and thinking about fantasy and fiction and more time working on actual projects. But the universe gave us these amazing brains and minds that allow us to dream, fantasize, and imagine. I think it's such a waste if we aren't allowed to bask in that for at least some part of our day, every day. And I think that most of our best inventions came out of somebody's fantasy state.
What if I could talk to anyone, anywhere real time? If I could share my photos, my ideas, my schedule with not just my friends but people I don't even know? Wait, I can. Don't you think that was somebody's dream at some point in their life?
So my advise isn't to stop spending time on impossible dreams. It's to take those dreams and turn them into possibilities. Take 2 hours a day, or whatever extra time you have and write down a few steps you can take to get closer to achieving your goals. Who knows where your dreams can lead you and what positive impact they can have on the masses.
In the words of one of my favorite fictional characters, "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one..."
Here is a fun dessert recipe sure to help make at least your dream for rich, creamy chocolate come true!
Cake
- 1 3/4
- cups sugar
- 1 3/4
- cups margarine or butter, softened
- 6
- eggs
- 2
- cups powdered sugar
- 2 1/4
- cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
- 3/4
- cup unsweetened cocoa
- 2
- cups chopped walnuts*
Glaze
- 3/4
- cup powdered sugar
- 1/4
- cup unsweetened cocoa
- 4
- to 6 teaspoons milk
- 1Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch tube pan. In large bowl, combine sugar and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar; blend well. By hand, stir in flour and remaining cake ingredients until well blended. Spoon batter into greased and floured pan; spread evenly.
- 2Bake at 350°F. for 45 to 50 minutes or until top is set and edges are beginning to pull away from sides of pan.** Cool upright in pan on wire rack 1 1/2 hours. Invert onto serving plate; cool at least 2 hours.
- 3In small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Spoon over top of cake, allowing some to run down sides. Store tightly covered.
Expert Tips
* Nuts are essential for the success of this recipe. ** Since this cake has a soft filling, an ordinary doneness test cannot be used. Accurate oven temperature and baking times are essential.
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