Career Tear

Everyone has a dream.  A longstanding dream, a newly imagined dream, a dream fulfilled or a dream on pause, everyone fosters a grand illusion of a dream.   In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I will illustrate the journey of an incredible dream.

A Dream produces action – Having a dream is not enough.  There is an innate quality in most people that creates a succession of dreams to be explored in ones lifetime.  The distinction of dreams achieved and those never seen can be summarized in one word – Action.  Action, by definition is a force of voluntary movement. Dr. Martin Luther had a dream, but we never would have known had he not committed the dream into action. King could have made the choice to watch and wish.  Had he done so then the state of freedom would have been compromised.  Instead he knew that he could make a difference.  His dream to alter the freedom of a people changed the sovereignty of America. The responsibility that Dr. Martin Luther King accepted was necessary in order to see the dream to completion.  King envisioned the opposition.  He prepared for setbacks.  He knew the minute he set his foot in motion it was bound to disturb the earth underneath.  Any step forward shakes the boundaries by which the quality of your life depends.  No movement leaves all existence in order.  A step backward alters no progress. Having a dream and living a dream are the distinguishable elements.

A Dream has advocates – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. imagined a dream, but it took the support of others to nurture the dream.  The idea of desegregation was not a new concept.  The movement of freedom had been explored by generations aforetime.  The mission of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was to eliminate segregation and live in unity.  King attracted advocates along the way that helped propel his vision.  On your way to your dream you will you will drop off a cluster of non-believers.  Some people just do not need to accompany you on your journey.  Their purpose detours in a direction opposite of yours. In their place you will gain new advocates to further your cause.  As you pick up others to walk alongside you, the spirit of your dream will be left as inspiration for those you left behind.  Dedicating time to those who can not advocate your dream diminishes its value.  If it were not for those who believed, supported and upheld the integrity of his dream King would have walked a lonesome journey.

A Dream has a price –   On your way to your dream, you will lose people along the way.  You will face opposition. You will discover uncharted territory.  You will have to give up something. You will feel isolated.  Your faith will be tested. You will be disappointed. Your relationships will be strained.  This is the price of following your dreams.  You have been set apart to deliver a dream to a multitude that was created for you alone.   Understanding the costs of your dream before the journey begins will save you from a cycle of confusion. This casualty is a requirement of your dream. Negotiating the conditions of the price will only lengthen the time it takes to see your dreams to fruition.   Your assurance does not lie in the simplicity of your dream it lies in the purpose of your dream.  If it was so easy to accomplish, then anyone could achieve it. Agreeing upon the price you will pay makes the minor setbacks easier.

A Dream has heirs – During a speaking engagement at Towers High School in Atlanta, I was followed by Edward Long whose words of truth resonated with me to this day.  I know his message was intended for the students, but it was purposed for me.  In summary, he was exploring the authenticity of the students’ peers to the compatibility of their future dreams.  He said “Ask yourself, who will benefit from my dream.  Will my kids benefit from this dream? Will my kids, kids benefit from my dream?”  From that moment forward, I understood that my dream was bigger than me. The lasting impact of his words redefined the significance of my dream.  In its infancy, I believed my dreams were given to me for my direct purpose.  In clarity, as your dream matures the influence of your dream cascades down to others.  When you depart this earth, the legacy of your dream continues.  It leaves in its absence breathing heirs to succeed the dream.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. carried an intense acceptance that he may not see his dream to the end, but he knew that his movement would carry on in his absence. To date, his legacy carries the promise of a dream fulfilled.  It has produced an implanted legacy in which we all have benefited from.

A Dream has direction – You can’t Mapquest the direction of your dream.  If it were that simple then the fear of not knowing the inevitable would be eliminated from the onset.  You do, however, know what direction will  lead you away from the path of your dreams. King’s movement of non-violence was deliberate.  His vision did not promote the act of violence, but his was an undertaking of a greater, more formidable alliance of trust.  By choosing not to adopt the spirit of violence, King believed he could go further.  His marches, by design, were non-threatening and only reasserted the hope of cultural unity.  A dream has direction.  It is ignited by a choice.  It is the responsibility of the dreamer to go in the direction that their dreams take them.  The path forward is predestined and paved just for you.

What is your dream?

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