When someone hears the word dream, the first thing that comes to mind is the thought you have when you are asleep. When I think of the word dream, I think of a vision, a longing, and the pure excitement of what my future could become. A dream can derive from a personal interest of someone, a role model, or a vision. When one really thinks about it and as we celebrate our independence, our country first started as a dream. Many great leaders and prominent people were not just well known for their impact in society, but for their dreams as well.
One of the first things you read when you look at a biography, is a passage or chapter of a person’s childhood. It might not directly be elaborate on their life’s hopes and dreams, but you would most likely be able tell where they could most likely end up just by the things they have done, and the events that took place in their lives. When you read about their passion for what they believed in and what they wanted to do, you are reading about their dreams. Dreams not only motivate people to reach their goals, but it also shapes who they become. If you watch television, read, or even listen closely in the classroom, you hear about individuals who turned away from a life of crime and started pursuing a life where they served their community. For instants, Malcolm X, who started out in a twisted life of crime, became a well known civil rights activist; eventually being assassinated for his beliefs. This was a time when he was involved in gambling, pimping, robbery, and would do anything for money including having physical intercourses with other men. As a result of his actions, Malcolm X was sentenced to prison for about eight to ten years. During his time in prison, Malcolm got the name “Satan” because of his hostility towards religion. After being paroled, he reflected on his life realizing how much freedom he had before he was thrown in jail. By reflecting on his life Malcolm dreamed of a world where everybody was free, where everyone had equal rights and the opportunity to follow their dreams. Making this world become a reality became his dream. Throughout the years Malcolm X transformed into a man who dedicated his life to making sure that all men had equal rights, his life was to make civil rights a part of every one’s life. He changed so much that his outlook on religion changed. As a matter of fact, Malcolm X converted to Islam which represented peace. Lead by his dream, Malcolm X not only changed and made a huge impact in society, but soon paid the price and was assassinated for it.
Where dreams come, so does the discouragement of society. On the first decades of European settlement America, the settlers were constantly reminded by Britain that they still were under their supervision, that they did not and would never have a voice about their lives ran. Every patriot had dreamed of being in a world where they were free from religious persecution and free to make their decisions politically. The United States of America has constantly fought in wars so that our dreams are kept alive. Now we fight for other countries because we have a dream that they can become as free as we are. From the revolutionary war to the war in Iraq, our one dream has always been…freedom.
Even though war is a great part of our history and a great part of how we accomplished our dreams, dreams were also expressed in peaceful ways. A great example of men who shared their dreams with America was Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln. Both men were from two different worlds and time periods, but their motives were the same. They believed that all men were created equal and no man had the right to control the other. King and Lincoln both spoke against oppression and discrimination. Both were very influential speakers. As a matter of fact, king’s “I Have a Dream” is still known to be the greatest speech of all times. Unlike Malcolm X, their dream was born within them. They grew up in a family that was anti-slavery and segregation. King’s father was a reverend, and Lincoln grew up in a Christian home. Sadly, like Malcolm X, they were both assassinated as a result; which represents the discouragement of their society.
Whenever I think about the country I live in and how many people have died so that I would be free, It reminds me that “I have a dream”, and should never let society tell me that my dream is impossible. I should never let the challenges that I face guide me to the path of destruction and regret. Instead I should use my challenges to be a blessing to those around me and beyond. That is why I am thankful everyday for who I am and what I possess because I know that I can use them to fulfill my dreams. When it comes to people who tell me that my dreams are impossible, they do not know that they are only making me stronger.
Dreams have made the young achieve impossible things. Take for instance, the Wright brothers who invented the first airplane, Sojourner Truth and Helen Keller who stood up for the rights of women, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson who were part of our founding fathers, the men who played a significant role in the independence of the United States. So when you feel like your dreams are too big to master or if you are told that you are not good enough to fulfill your destiny, just remember those before you and the obstacles they faced. As long as you know where you are and where you want to go, no one can stand in your way, and if they try to, just remind yourself that everything is going to be okay, and that you are going to succeed because you have a dream…
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