It’s More Than Ok To Dream
I heard a prominent public figure say that it’s time to stop dreaming and start doing. Their words while well intended are at best void of a critical understanding of the power of dreaming. Dreaming is not the opposite of doing, but rather it serves as the braintrust that informs our doing. Dreaming has allowed world class institutions to educate millions of students . Dreaming has given voice to artists who help us overcome the inevitability of pain and trauma. Dreaming led millions of enslaved Africans in the United States to sing songs of freedom despite their situation of bondage.
The poetic genius Langston Hughes understood the power of dreaming. In his iconic poem , “ I Dream A World”, Hughes provides us with his bold vision for the leading issue of his day, racial injustice . He uses the power of dreaming to outline his core principles and convictions. We can use “I Dream A World” as a creative example for our own dreaming.
Your dream of a better world should not be despised because of its grand scale. Your dream to unite your family that is currently in turmoil is big, but vital for generations. There are several pre-dreaming questions we must ask ourselves if we will leverage the power of dreaming to be better and do better.
- In what ways could my area of influence be enhanced ?
- How could I create a world that is better for those in my area of influence ?
- If things aligned perfectly, what is the biggest impact I could imagine for my area of influence?
These questions are not the full list of critical dreaming questions you could ask, but they will provide you with the kickstart needed to imagine a better future.
