THE origin of our dreams has always been an extraordinary topic of debate. Like love, happiness, faith and the soul, dreams have etched themselves into the journal of humanity as one of the many mysteries that we may never begin to understand. Perhaps, given some time, we may eventually discover facts about their meaning, origin, or the very truth of their existence. We may also, instead, find that some things are simply more beautiful when they are allowed to remain mysterious. The beauty of so many artworks lies not in their inherent perfection or attractiveness but in their ability to evoke the human mind’s subjective interpretations and its ability to link pieces of an individual’s life with what they observe in the world around them.

Given these truths, it is no wonder that when we have an interesting dream, we often wonder why we had such a dream or what it may mean in our real life. Could a nightmare possibly be a premonition? Could a joyful dream be an omen of a successful and happy future? Could the details of our dreams perhaps be hints which inform us of the best path to take when making an important decision? These questions often go unanswered, but they never cease to invoke our curiosity.

Just like life, we can never truly control our dreams. They are both, in some ways, made up of our essence—our decisions, memories and experiences. Nevertheless, we rarely have the chance to experience an opportunity where we are completely in control of our lives or of our dreams. If we do receive such a chance, it is fleeting, and we are left wanting. A rather large part of growth is accepting the fact that we can never be in control all the time and instead seek to attain a balance between the factors which we can and cannot control.

When we have finally achieved this stage in our growth, we are left with a rather strange question—is it really practical to dream? If life is so unpredictable and uncontrollable, how feasible is it for us to build dreams for ourselves? After all, what is the purpose of building a house if we are never really sure when it might simply topple over?

We have become accustomed, as a generation, to allowing life and the world to direct us rather than attempting to use our own dreams or goals to find direction. Apart from the unpredictability of life, there are many factors which have led to this state. For instance, the world has become an entirely more competitive and fast-moving place. There are more people with whom we share our planet, and it has become increasingly imperative for us to be extraordinarily skilled in order to excel in a chosen area. Achieving a dream is no longer about just perseverance and hard work—it is about complete excellence and, in some cases, sheer luck!

In the past, there were some things that we could only ever dream about. In today’s era, however, it may appear that even dreams have become seemingly unaffordable. Yet, although we face many new obstacles and limitations, there is always space for us to grow and become better versions of ourselves. In order for us to do this, we need the fuel that dreams provide to us in the form of motivation and strength.

At the beginning of adulthood, we all face the question of who we would like to become. We ask ourselves what our dreams are. Recently, we have also begun to ask ourselves whether we should dream at all, or simply go where life chooses to take us.

A dream gives our lives meaning. It is powerful enough to transform even a period of rest into a magnificent fantasy of who we can be and where we can go. It is true that we all face different kinds of limitations. It is possible that our future generations may also face several of their own limitations. Dreams are the antidote to the pain of formidable obstacles. Our dreams define us and provide us with an anchor when the entire world seems to be shifting around us. Without dreams, we may never fully realise what we are truly capable of.