Some people are lucky to get their dream job, the wife of their dreams, a son who is a dream, or even all of the above. Others can only imagine what it would be like to reach that dream, still others might refuse to settle until they find the dream they are chasing. But the thing about dreams is that they only happen when where asleep, it's almost like dreams and life are mutually exclusive.

The nice thing about dreams is that they aren't bound by the rules of reality. When we are dreaming things seem perfectly normal until we recount them in the morning and realize that my couch should not be talking back to me. In life we may wish things were a certain way, but the rules of physics, logic, and relationships often intervene. In the dream job I may get to always do what is right without interference from a meddlesome boss, or concerns of budgets; but in life no job works that way. In a dream relationship I may never be misunderstood, my needs will always be taken care of, and everyone else's needs will just take care of themselves without me having to worry about them. But in life relationships don't work like that. 

In dreams I can set things up according to my own rules. In a dream job everyone will listen to what I have to say and will agree with my approach to everything. In a dream relationship there is no need to compromise or give in, I decide what makes everyone happy and how to meet their needs. But in life sometimes people who are wrong get their way. Sometimes it rains on the parade, or I have to go along with someone else's idea.

In dreams there are no consequences. If things go bad I will probably wake up, and then it will all be over. In a dream job it doesn't matter if I make mistakes because it all works out in the end. In a dream relationship I don't need to repair damage from something I did or said. But in life I have to deal with outcomes and sometimes that can be unpleasant.

Dreams are unlimited, but that is what limits them. If everything goes my way I will never experience the shock of disappointment, but I will also never experience the joy of surprise. I will never be let down, but I will also never find unexpected support. Dreams are good for the moment, but when they dissipate we need to move on. Some of us are lucky enough to fulfill our dreams, but if we aren't careful we could wake up one day and find out that it was just ... well a dream and it is all gone. So we need to shake ourselves for a moment and double check to make sure that we are living our dreams, and not dreaming our lives.

Happy Connecting!

Menachem