Dreamers, Realities, and the Trappings of Life

[Mark Glamack "Littluns"]

Everybody has creative ideas and dreams. It's the courageous few, through their determination and perseverance who turn dreams into tangible realities, with sustainable consumer needs, and/or purposes in industry or the marketplace.

Playing it safe and doing nothing usually ends with unfulfilled dreamers, looking back over their lives, asking the question, "What if?" What if I followed my bliss and took a chance? What might have happened? Could I have been successful and would I now be more happy and content than I am? Those that do nothing will never know.

When first starting out on the road to independence, self realization, and fulfillment, young dreamers feel invincible, visualizing the world at their feet with unlimited possibilities. If at first the world doesn't share the dreamer's enthusiasm, it doesn't necessarily mean that the dreamer is wrong, or that their vision doesn't have any value. It does mean that the dreamer will now have to figure out why, and then go on to the next step, or move on to their next big idea. The obvious problem with this process is that everybody has to make a living. Unless the dreamer is very rich or gets lucky and the dream actually starts generating an income for them, finding a paying job soon becomes a priority.

Along the way, if the dreamer is not careful, soon the trappings of life replace the dream with tangible possessions, which includes the responsibilities and commitments to sustain them. The dreamer's focus changes from what could be, to what is.

Life, time, and space are so finite and at best uncertain with death the only certainty and inevitable outcome for all existence. With that understanding, keeping up with the Joneses hardly seems as important as following one's bliss. When courageously taking any first step, in an attempt to rise up above complacency; realize our dreams, to give us more value and completeness, and fulfill our potentials, we all soon find that if it were easy, everybody would be doing it.

If everyone played it safe succumbing to their own self-inflected limitations, we would all still be living in the middle ages. We all benefit from the risk takers, if only to inspire us to reach our full potentials. Personally, I gravitate to people who think outside the box; not afraid to try new things. As Theodore Roosevelt said, "...there place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." It's an exciting place to be, even if it takes a lifetime to get there. We are all better off from those who are actually in the arena, pushing the envelope beyond what is, to what can be, while constantly reaching ahead of us to the infinite possibilities beyond.

There are countless stories of people who were ahead of their time, with their work only appreciated after their death. Whether they succeed in life or not is not as important as their determination to make it all happen, and after years of hard work, to finally realize their dream as something real and tangible. By doing nothing, the dream remains but a dream, and dies with the dreamer - as so often tragically happens. At least the courageous followed their bliss and took a chance with that first step to a higher calling instead of just leaving the dream a mere fabric of their unfulfilled imagination.

So follow your bliss, dream big dreams, hold your standards high, and by all means remember that nothing really good comes easy because if it did everybody would be doing it.

[Luz Aguirrebena]

Dear Mark, welcome to our Soul Hang Out Community, it is a privilege to have you. Thanks for bringing Littluns with you. I have never read the book, nevertheless, read every piece oof information in your website. I have the feeling these little creatures you created are the messengers of good news. They expose the truth in a matter of fact candid and heroic way, advocate for the truth through their breathing and being and are on a mission to associate the dissociated.

So I truly believe that Littluns are a great fit for Soul Hang Out. It makes me happy to feel their relentless passion in our little spot, where the Soul Thoughts are Spoken Out Loud.

I love your article about the Dreamers...it evokes the millenary Spanish playwright of the "siglo de oro" Don Pedro Calderon de la Barca and his masterpiece "La vida es un sueno" "Life is a dream".

What is life?
A madness.

What is life?
An illusion,
a shadow,
a story.

And the greatest good
can be insignificant,
in that all of life is a dream,
and the dreams are dreams."

Again, Mark, thanks and a big hug to you.

[Mark Glamack "Littluns"]

Thank you Luz for you response and insightful thoughts of "Littluns." I do hope that you can someday find the time to read "Littluns" and see conclusively that it is truly a fit for Soul Hang Out. Although we won the “Mom’s Choice Awards“ Gold for 2009, 411 pages is not a child's book. It is animation for grownups; fantasy in reality for the child and innocence in all of us. It is a journey of the spirit in His Light in contrast to a path of darkness; a choice between one or the other we must all ultimately make in our lives.

To my regret, I never read any of playwright "siglo de oro" Don Pedro Calderon de la Barca’s, works, or his masterpiece "La vida es un sueno" "Life is a dream." Thank you for including "Life is a dream" here. His other works are now on my to-do list. Now if only my 'to do' list can find some time to do it. Time is flying by faster than I would like.

As you know, the words "Life is what we make it," resound everywhere, but without a guide to show us the way, life itself becomes but an empty shell in a void of emptiness. A complete understanding of the extreme differences between one way or the other, where wise choices can set us free, but at the same time challenge the best of us. That choice is what we ultimately become for good or evil in our life and all the others that cross our paths.

Thank you again Lus, and a big HUG back to you.

[Phoenix]

Excellent post! I have been following my bliss for over seven years now. It has not always been easy--but it has been worth it. Your piece reminded me of a quote I read a long time ago, so I looked it up. Ching Ning Chu said, "Acquire the courage to believe in yourself. Many of the things that you have been taught were at one time the radical ideas of individuals who had the courage to believe what their own hearts and minds told them was true, rather than accept the common beliefs of their day." Thanks for sharing this uplifting piece.

Peace and blessings.

[Mark Glamack "Littluns"]

Thank you Phoenix, I really enjoyed reading your heartening comments. Positive, uplifting people like you is what it's all about. Without your inspirational attitude and influences, life would be less interesting - to say the least.

Easy? If it were easy everybody would be doing it. As Winston Churchill said: "...so that their life will never be among those timid souls who know neither victory, nor defeat."

I would love to hear what you say about “Littluns.” FYI, although “Littluns” is family friendly, it is best understood by young adults, and even more so by grownups of all ages.

Keep following you bliss, life is too short to do anything less.

God Bless and Good Light!

Mark