Birthing A Dream
by: Robert A. Myers

Scholarly poet, Langston Hughes, once said: “What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-- And then run?” I’d venture to say that neither alternative is a position worth visiting. The only thing worse than a dream never coming to pass is a dream with no clear vision. A dream is merely imaginative thoughts; a childish desire; or a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep. My definition of success is a dream put into motion and made into reality.

In the month of January, we paid honor and remembered the life and works of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., let us not get so wrapped up in the idea of who he was and what he did, that we forget to do the very thing he asked of us. He dared us all to dream and continue to put in the work to eradicate racism and all other forms of discrimination. Dr. King held firm to his dreams and proceeded to implement a plan to see it through, but unfortunately, he died before he could see it come to pass.

In 2008, it was declared that Barack Hussein Obama, would be affirmed the 44th president of the United States of America, a feat that Dr. King could’ve only dreamed of at his time of passing. But, like Dr. King, President Obama had a dream. He set clear and direct goals, developed a plan and implemented the actions necessary to do what some deemed unattainable and out of reach.

The bible says: Write the vision, make it plain upon tables, that he may run that reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry (Habakkuk 2:2-3). This scripture tells us that in order to inspire others with our vision, we must share it in a way that others can understand, so that they may be inspired by our vision and called to action. Oftentimes, if our vision does not come to pass immediately, we become discouraged, but the passage also says that we must learn to wait for it, having the faith that it will come to pass.

Just as it takes a woman nine months to birth a child, understand that it may take time to birth your vision. But once you know your vision, it is up to you to work to achieve the end result. You see, a vision with no follow-through is just a childish dream, and the only foolish thing about dreaming is not believing that it could ever materialize.

So, what’s your dream? Will you dare to follow it long enough to see it come to pass? Or will you continue to settle for status quo? No one ever promised me that hard work would reap a quick reward, and for that, I am truly grateful. I’d rather die knowing I fought for my dreams, than to live in fear of dreaming. Don’t let others place you in a box and limit your capacity, whatever is for you, trust and believe that God will supply you with the tools and place in you in a position to see the end result.