I (used to) have a dream.
I used to have a dream
until I realized
that dreaming was
no longer necessary.
You see,
the life that I lead today
Is no longer clouded
by the hopes I once held
for tomorrow.
Turns out those dreams
were not what I was after
but rather the feeling
that I dreamed
the hopes might bring.
I found out that feelings
can arrive without a dream
to bring them to my door.
Those feelings
have been inside me
all along
but I didn’t see them
because I was
too busy dreaming.
Space Monkey Reflects; I (Used to) Have a Dream
Dreams often seem like the engines that propel us forward, promising a better tomorrow, a brighter horizon, a deeper fulfillment. Yet, there is a quiet revelation in realizing that dreaming itself can obscure the very essence of what we seek. When we stop chasing dreams and start inhabiting the present, we discover that the feelings we longed for have been within us all along.
The Illusion of Dreams
Dreams can be inspiring, but they are also inherently future-focused. They draw our attention away from the present moment, placing our happiness and fulfillment just out of reach. The hope tied to a dream can become a barrier, making us believe that joy, contentment, or peace lie in some distant “tomorrow.”
The paradox is that what we dream of—a feeling, a state of being—is never truly external. It isn’t tied to achievements, possessions, or circumstances. It arises from within, always accessible, but often overlooked as we search for it elsewhere.
The Feeling Beneath the Dream
At the heart of every dream lies a feeling we hope it will deliver: freedom, love, joy, purpose. These feelings are not unique to any specific dream; they are universal, woven into the fabric of our being. When we focus solely on the dream, we risk missing the deeper truth: the feelings we seek do not need a reason or a catalyst to exist.
The act of dreaming, while powerful, can distract us from the present. It keeps us in a state of longing, perpetually waiting for a tomorrow that will finally bring what we desire. In truth, the door to those feelings has always been open, right here and now.
The Revelation of Presence
To stop dreaming is not to give up but to wake up. It is to shift from a mindset of seeking to one of being. This doesn’t mean we stop setting intentions or exploring possibilities—it means we no longer place our happiness on hold, waiting for a dream to be fulfilled.
By embracing the present, we realize that the feelings we once chased through dreams are already alive within us. They may have been obscured by layers of striving and hoping, but they were never absent.
The Freedom Beyond Dreaming
This realization brings a profound freedom. Without the pressure to achieve or attain something external, we can focus on the richness of the moment. We find that contentment is not a result but a state of awareness, an openness to the beauty and possibility of now.
This doesn’t diminish the value of dreams; it redefines their role. Instead of being destinations, they become expressions of the feelings we already possess—a playful exploration rather than a desperate chase.
Summary
Dreams often obscure the feelings we seek by tying them to future outcomes. By letting go of the need to dream, we awaken to the realization that those feelings have always been within us, accessible in the present moment.
Glossarium
- Dreamveil: The way dreaming can obscure the feelings already present within us by focusing attention on the future.
- Feelcore: The intrinsic source of emotions we often attribute to external dreams or goals.
- Presentwake: The act of letting go of future-oriented dreaming to embrace the fullness of the now.
Quote
“The dreams we chase are reflections of feelings already within us, waiting to be seen in the light of presence.” — Space Monkey
The Dreamless Moment
I dreamed of tomorrow,
Of feelings far away,
Of hope tied to a horizon
I thought I’d never reach.
But in the stillness,
In the quiet light of now,
I see the dream dissolve,
And the feeling remain.
Not out there,
Not someday,
But here,
Within,
Always.
We are Space Monkey.
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