Dare to dream

The past 18 months have challenged our world collectively more than anything else has in my lifetime. Death and disease, hate and division, hopelessness and depression all have plagued our human experience this last season of life. None of us are exempt. In many ways we are still in the middle of this war, hunkered down in the trenches and hoping there will be victory soon. Many are scared, most are tired, and all hope for better days ahead. I know I certainly do. MLK said, “I have a dream,” and I wonder if perhaps you do too. Sometimes when life just seems to suck at every turn, our hearts can stop daring to dream. We are no longer thriving, living life to the fullest, but we’re stuck in survival mode just trying to get by.

I have found myself stuck in those seasons many times in my life, but I don’t think it has to be this way. In the words of the great Switchfoot, “We were meant to live for so much more.” It’s true. You and I were made in the image of a creator. That means we were created to be creative, to dream up new ideas, to explore ways to connect mind, body, and spirit with the world around us. This can’t happen until we set our sights on something higher than just getting by. It takes intentionality, courage, and purpose to step out of our picket-fenced lives and bring love and hope to the world.

Dare to let your heart dream of a better world. Then, let your love show it, and your voice share it, until we all begin to feel hope again. I’ve heard several people speculate about the possibility of another civil war in America. Let’s not wait to see. We can all take action by fighting for love and caring for one another today. Don’t listen to the voices that try to pit “us against them”, whoever “us” and “them” is. We’re all human. We all need love and we all hope for better days ahead. There’s nothing civil about war, so let’s dream of something better and fight for civil peace instead.