Hope in a Dream

Because I'm a terrible, lazy little girl who gets behind on her school work all the time, I have spent the past few weeks cramming in a lot of history. And as I wade through lesson after lesson about war, power, corruption, emperors, queens, kings, shahs, czars, dynasties, and countless countries that I try so hard to remember, I realize the one thing that bugs me the most: Who do all those Europeans think they are, trying to take over the world? For some reason, it absolutely infuriates me to see Russia, France, Austria, Great Britain, and all the rest of them get some crazy idea that they have the right to go take over all the other continents and rule them so unfairly. The absolute standard of control that everyone must have sickens me, and I begin to wonder how much time the rulers actually spend caring for the land they already have instead of ruthlessly nabbing more.

I get it. Power's fun. Power's great. Power makes one feel high and mighty and lets them do a lot of things. But in the midst of a power-hungry surge to gain control over every single snitch of land in the world, countries are robbed of their independence and left with no power at all. Then they spend all their money and strength to get it back...only to lose it again after a short while. It disgusts me.

Of course, the majority of us don't have the ability or desperate want to take over China, Persia, Korea, or any other country. But as I did some thinking and talking today, I realized how this can tie back down to regular life.

I have always classified myself as a dreamer. Someone who reached for the stars, falls a lot, hurts herself, but refuses to stay down too long. I'd never really say I'm a rebellious or independent person, but I very much dislike people telling me that I can't do what I want to do. Obviously, the occasional pessimist has to come in and snap me back into reality, but overall, I don't appreciate discouragement. At least let me try before flat out telling me that I have no chance.

I have backed down from a lot of my aspirations because people have told me I'll never get there. Lots of people think I'm just not a motivated person. Well, yes, it's hard to stay motivated when you're telling me that I'm going to fail. It's rather hard to reach out for what I want when all I hear is, "You can't."

I guess this is what I'm getting at: You are not me. Do not try to take power over my mind.

Yes, I submit to my parents. Yes, I submit to the government (even if I think it has some outstandingly ridiculous rules). Yes, I submit to God. But I've never understood why we all allow everyone else to call us failures, future or present, when they're not us. And honestly, does it help? Does it help to say to someone, "No, you will never be a famous historian, you're going to spend your life working at Taco Bell."? Ahhh, no, not really.

To some degree, other people are going to have influence and power over our lives. But why do we allow their thoughtless, hasty words to get to us? Why do we become doubtful of our own abilities and our own possibilities and let them tell us that we can't? Is it because we're afraid they're right? Is it because we are afraid of failure? Is it because we are scared to come back to our family and friends and admit that we failed?

Frankly, none of them are really good reasons. Someone else can only stop you from getting what you want if you let them. But if you fight back, put your mind to it, and say, "let me prove you wrong," the only thing truly stopping you is yourself.

Of course, I realize the practical variables. I'm not saying that we all have the power to take over the world. My point is not to tell you that you can do anything. My point is to tell you that you shouldn't be discouraged from your want to do anything because someone tells you that you can't. That you lack the motivation. That you lack the skills. That you're just plain not smart enough. Oh? And what's stopping you from getting the motivation? The skills? The superficial intelligence they speak of? Certainly not them, unless you let the words get to you.

Don't.

They are not you. They cannot take power over your mind and your drive. I let them come in and tell me that I would never be a famous singer. Maybe, if I hadn't listened to them, I would be. Probably not. But because I did listen, I gave up. I let go of my dream. I didn't even try.

We will fail. We will fall. And too many of us won't get back up again. Too many of us won't even attempt to reach anything that we want. What's standing in our way? People trying to take over our minds and tell us what we can and cannot do. But they're only standing in our way if we let them.

Quite some time ago, I determined to be a famous author. People told me I couldn't. People told me I would never get there. I have been writing for almost eight years now. I can't promise you I'll ever get a book published. But I can tell you that I got past the discouragement and went for what I wanted. If I get there, awesome. If I don't? That's because I truly couldn't. Not because I refused to try.

There is physical power. The Ottoman Turks can take over Bosnia and England can take over America. And then there's mental power. Person #1 can stop you from this dream, person #2 can stop you from that. But only if you let them. Only if you allow them to take over your mind and tell you that you can't. So bite back. Say that you can. Ignore the naysayers. They are not you, and they cannot take away what's yours. Your dream.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain