Dream Without Fear

Somebody once told me it's better not to expect. Then when something wonderful happens, it's more surprising and, therefore, better. But I disagree. It's not better. I like surprises. But a surprise you don't even have a dream of is short lived. It's not as valuable. You're not craving for it. They're nice, but a dream-come-true is a treasure compared to it.

Don't take what as I say as law. When it comes to matters of the heart (and it is the heart that dreams), everything is case-to-case.

To dream, to wish, to expect something magical to happen is something I cannot stop, and I pray to God I never will. I say this as one thing because what I usually do is a combination of all three. I dream-wish-expect wonderful things to happen frequently. But to do that means to set myself up for disappointment, I was told. Yes, that's true. I've been disappointed many times before. But so what? Most disappointments are also opportunities. Do the disappointments hurt? Of course. I have cried countless times over rejection letters, frustrations and heartbreak. But to me, to not expect, to not wish, to not dream, is to be afraid. And that's not how I want to live my life.

Also, to dream is to nurture ideas. You play with them. You take them places you normally can't in real life. You build worlds for them. You build scenarios for them. You fall in love with them, which leads you to wish. If only this were real in real life. If only this would happen. If only... Then you realize, it can be true. I can not, but it also can. Suddenly, the impossible turns into an improbable. But that's a foot in reality already. You look around for technologies, opportunities, and possibilities. And later, you realize, it can be done. It can happen. And you expect that if you do certain things, or you try hard enough, it will actually happen.

And then it fails.

And it devastates you.

And you cry.

And then you pick yourself up and try again. And then eventually, some of your dreams will come true. And after the first dream-come-true, the second becomes less impossible.