When I think of dreams I drift back to the Roald Dahl classic that I read as a child – The BFG – Big Friendly Giant who was a Dream Catcher by profession. He caught dreams that manifested in the Misty Dream Country and blew them through trumpet like pipe into the bedrooms of children, while they were asleep. What a wonderful fantasy – so mystical and yet so innocent.
The BFG also used to make sure that he bottled up the blotchy nightmares in caves far away so they would not affect the little kids. Which makes me wonder, if those bottles start exploding and finding their way out to reach the civilization as we grow older? Or is it just a figment of our imagination?
So what is the power of dreams?
My friends say I see funny dreams – some of them can be written as film and drama stories and sold to directors for moolah. Strangely, I distinctly remember most of my dreams – both good and bad. They are Technicolor, have a lot of action, adventure, special effects, heroism, people, emotions and technology! The range of subjects on which I dream are enormous - wars, celebrations, trains, galaxies, deaths, cliffs, sea, sharks, children, fire, bomb blasts, running, havelis, monsters, deserts, rock concerts, safaris, gardens, rains, skiing and horses! And what not! Sometimes they are futuristic, sometimes awe-inspiring, sometimes heartening and most times amusing and plain funny! There are times when it feels like a Sanjay Leela Bhansali or Suraj Barjatya magnum opus. If I start with giving a sneak peek into the content of these dreams – its sure to fill up volumes…so I shall save you guys the torture :)
But it’s truly fascinating to decipher dreams and analyze the meaning behind them. Then there are disturbing dreams as well – when you wake up from them and wish you had never slept…never dreamt those. But then if life would become sugary sweet seen through rose tinted glasses, we would always miss the spice.
I have often thought whether there is a full-stop to dreams or even a semi colon for that matter. Infact I took this discussion up lately with a couple of friends and they also had interesting insights to share. I always used to feel that we should not limit our imagination or ambition by our dreams. Dreaming big is good – like they say...aim for the stars, so that you reach the treetop. I have seen many dreamy eyed people in this city of Mumbai. There are huge success stories to boast of – about people with no money and magnificent dreams making it big. Dream is the end, the means of which is work – sometimes hard work and sometimes smart work.
So is it right to build castles in air? I think not. There have also been instances of people who harbor dearest of dreams in their heart and when they cannot be fulfilled – they get shattered – their castles in air come tumbling down their ears and are sometimes beyond repair – and then nothing else in the world is as gratifying as that ONE dream, since they are so emotionally attached to it.
Its not a pessimistic view, it’s a realistic scenario. To resurrect and rise from the ashes like a phoenix is another human wonder that happens. But there are extreme cases when it takes ages for that to happen, or at times, to others dismay, never happens. Then What? Is it worthwhile to have lofty dreams in those starry eyes? Maybe yes, if we are 10 year olds. But the fact is, we are not. And the people that we are, the life that we have, its sometimes imperative to dream attainable dreams, rather than chasing mirages that were never yours. Atleast that way, we are closer and more committed to our goals and if it doesn’t happen, we can pick up another dream and move on.
Maybe I am drawing a contradictory analogy to what I said earlier about a dream having no boundary and now I am mentioning about an attainable dream which in itself is an irony. What is the best thing to do? Maybe BFG would have an answer…
The BFG also used to make sure that he bottled up the blotchy nightmares in caves far away so they would not affect the little kids. Which makes me wonder, if those bottles start exploding and finding their way out to reach the civilization as we grow older? Or is it just a figment of our imagination?
So what is the power of dreams?
My friends say I see funny dreams – some of them can be written as film and drama stories and sold to directors for moolah. Strangely, I distinctly remember most of my dreams – both good and bad. They are Technicolor, have a lot of action, adventure, special effects, heroism, people, emotions and technology! The range of subjects on which I dream are enormous - wars, celebrations, trains, galaxies, deaths, cliffs, sea, sharks, children, fire, bomb blasts, running, havelis, monsters, deserts, rock concerts, safaris, gardens, rains, skiing and horses! And what not! Sometimes they are futuristic, sometimes awe-inspiring, sometimes heartening and most times amusing and plain funny! There are times when it feels like a Sanjay Leela Bhansali or Suraj Barjatya magnum opus. If I start with giving a sneak peek into the content of these dreams – its sure to fill up volumes…so I shall save you guys the torture :)
But it’s truly fascinating to decipher dreams and analyze the meaning behind them. Then there are disturbing dreams as well – when you wake up from them and wish you had never slept…never dreamt those. But then if life would become sugary sweet seen through rose tinted glasses, we would always miss the spice.
I have often thought whether there is a full-stop to dreams or even a semi colon for that matter. Infact I took this discussion up lately with a couple of friends and they also had interesting insights to share. I always used to feel that we should not limit our imagination or ambition by our dreams. Dreaming big is good – like they say...aim for the stars, so that you reach the treetop. I have seen many dreamy eyed people in this city of Mumbai. There are huge success stories to boast of – about people with no money and magnificent dreams making it big. Dream is the end, the means of which is work – sometimes hard work and sometimes smart work.
So is it right to build castles in air? I think not. There have also been instances of people who harbor dearest of dreams in their heart and when they cannot be fulfilled – they get shattered – their castles in air come tumbling down their ears and are sometimes beyond repair – and then nothing else in the world is as gratifying as that ONE dream, since they are so emotionally attached to it.
Its not a pessimistic view, it’s a realistic scenario. To resurrect and rise from the ashes like a phoenix is another human wonder that happens. But there are extreme cases when it takes ages for that to happen, or at times, to others dismay, never happens. Then What? Is it worthwhile to have lofty dreams in those starry eyes? Maybe yes, if we are 10 year olds. But the fact is, we are not. And the people that we are, the life that we have, its sometimes imperative to dream attainable dreams, rather than chasing mirages that were never yours. Atleast that way, we are closer and more committed to our goals and if it doesn’t happen, we can pick up another dream and move on.
Maybe I am drawing a contradictory analogy to what I said earlier about a dream having no boundary and now I am mentioning about an attainable dream which in itself is an irony. What is the best thing to do? Maybe BFG would have an answer…
