February 1, 2023

Dreams come to us during our sleep. They can be exciting, terrifying, confusing or intriguing.  But did you realize we can also dream while we are awake? It just takes a different form called daydreaming. The question is do we allow ourselves to dream or for that fact do we give our children the time to dream?

During each Seedlings season I ask some of my kids, “when was the last time you were all alone?”  Many of them couldn’t remember and some said they were afraid to be by themselves.  In our busy “technified” life, many don’t seem to give themselves time to be alone to dream.  It is possible to allow our minds to go to other places, to come up with ideas about things which can enrich our lives. Perhaps this time can be spent creating future adventures to seek out, generating ideas which may come to fruition or just plain fantasy.

Do you recall a time in your life when you were able to allow your mind to travel to other places or situations without really going there?  As a child, I remember the apple tree which grew in my yard.  I would perch myself up there and dream about giant tall trees that would support my own “tree world”. All of this while I was only 7 feet off the ground!  I also became a deep-sea diver in my pool, looking for treasures in imaginary caves.  Or sometimes I just laid on my bedroom floor and listened to music which took me on so many journeys.  All of this by myself.

Maybe we can help ourselves, children or grandchildren to have that time to dream.  It may mean cutting out an activity or not using phones or electronics in the bedroom. The form it takes is up to you.  Imagine if we gave ourselves the time to be still and let our minds wander about things we don’t ordinally think about?  It is no easy task whether it is for you or a child, but if practiced it can become a way of life.

If we taught our kids to be with themselves perhaps it would instill a sense of wonderment, something I see young kids losing to the devices they coddle.  It is a difficult battle but worth pursuing.  Even reading for fun is a great escape. 

The dream begins within our minds.  Without it there will be less inventions, less introspection, or possibilities for patience.  Do your own experiment and try it for a month!  Dream on!!