Words of Clarity: An open letter to you

27. Dreams?

When did my dreams die?

As I've thought about it, what were my dreams again? You know as we grow up we tend to change and that change contributes to our self growth and interest in life. When I was a child I wanted to be a teacher. I really want to teach because my teacher in pre-school is really nice. She's always smiling ang gentle to us. I was like "oh I like her job". And when I learn about dancing and singing I want to be an entertainer. You know, being an artist. I don't wanna be a teacher anymore. Inside that highschool journey my dreams kept changing. The way things interest me. I used to like drawing and sketching stuff and I was like "oh I wanna be a professional fashion designer". Kase alam mo 'yon parang 'yong hobby mo will make you earn money? Para bang hindi ka mapapagod gawin kase nga passion mo naman siya. Like you'll never get tired of it. And guess what? When you're going to enter college you'll eventually have no dreams. It's as if you don't want to pursue things. And that sucks. Kase you'll leave with no choice. It's all about passion versus practicality now. Na para bang if you'll pursue a career you have to think na that path will bring you wages not expenses.

Dadating sa point na lahat ng dreams mo biglang mawawala sa isip mo. Mawawalan ka ng interest sa mga bagay bagay. Maybe that's part of your adulting. And that's okay. You can try things in order for you to grow. Sabi nga hindi ba, step outside from your comfort zone. Trying new things is harmless. If you don't want to be a teacher anymore, then be it. If pursuing your passion isn't practical for you, then be it. You can always try new things, and if things don't go as planned then go back to your own pace to breathe.

When did my dreams die? That's when you grow up. That's when your old habits don't make you happy anymore. That's when your old interests don't excite you anymore. It's a slow and gradual process, often so subtle that you don't realize it until one day you wake up and feel a hollow ache where your dreams used to be. You start noticing the shift in your mid-twenties, maybe even earlier for some. The activities you once loved become chores, and the excitement that used to fuel your every action starts to fade.

Your dreams die in the monotony of daily life, in the relentless grind of responsibilities and obligations. The idealism of youth gives way to the pragmatism of adulthood. The passions you once pursued with zeal are replaced by tasks you must complete just to stay afloat. The fire that once burned so brightly is slowly extinguished by the cold, hard realities of life. You trade your dreams for a paycheck, your passions for practicality.

When you were younger, the world was a vast, exciting place full of endless possibilities. You dreamed of being an astronaut, a musician, an artist, a writer. You imagined yourself changing the world, making a difference, leaving your mark. But as you grow older, those dreams are often replaced by more immediate concerns: paying bills, keeping a job, maintaining relationships. The dreams you once held so dear start to feel like distant memories, relics of a past life.

It's not that you consciously decide to let your dreams die. It's more like they fade away, slowly and imperceptibly. Life gets in the way. You get a job that pays the bills but doesn't fulfill you. You settle into a routine that is comfortable but uninspiring. You start to prioritize security and stability over adventure and risk. The dreams that once seemed so attainable now feel out of reach.

And then there are the setbacks. The failures, the rejections, the disappointments. Each one chips away at your dreams, leaving you a little more disillusioned, a little more jaded. You start to doubt yourself, to question whether you were ever capable of achieving those dreams in the first place. The world starts to feel less like a place of endless possibilities and more like a series of closed doors.

But it's not just external forces that kill your dreams. Sometimes, it's your own mind. The fear of failure, the fear of judgment, the fear of stepping out of your comfort zone. These fears can be paralyzing, preventing you from taking the risks necessary to pursue your dreams. Over time, they can become so ingrained that you start to believe that your dreams were never realistic to begin with.

Your dreams die when you start to compromise. When you start to settle for less than what you truly want. When you start to believe that what you have is all you'll ever get. You tell yourself that it's okay, that you're being practical, that you're being responsible. But deep down, you know that you're settling. And with each compromise, your dreams slip further and further away.

Your dreams die when you start to lose hope. When you stop believing that things can change, that you can change. When you start to see the world as a series of immovable obstacles rather than a landscape of opportunities. The spark that once drove you starts to dim, and the dreams that once filled you with excitement start to feel like burdens.

But dreams don't have to die. They can be rekindled, revived, reborn. It's not easy, and it requires effort, perseverance, and a willingness to face your fears. It requires you to remember what it felt like to dream, to believe in the impossible, to chase after something with all your heart. It requires you to push back against the forces that try to grind you down, to refuse to settle for a life that doesn't fulfill you.

To keep your dreams alive, you have to nurture them. You have to make time for the things that bring you joy, that ignite your passion. You have to surround yourself with people who support you, who believe in you, who encourage you to pursue your dreams. You have to be willing to take risks, to step out of your comfort zone, to face failure and rejection head-on.

Keeping your dreams alive means constantly reminding yourself of why they matter. It means holding on to the vision of the life you want to live, even when it feels out of reach. It means fighting against the temptation to settle, to compromise, to give up. It means believing in yourself, even when it feels like no one else does.

Your dreams don't have to die when you grow up. They can evolve, change, adapt to your new reality. The dreams you had as a child may not be the same dreams you have as an adult, and that's okay. What's important is that you continue to dream, to strive, to reach for something beyond the ordinary. Because without dreams, life becomes a series of motions, a series of days that blend into each other without meaning or purpose.

So, when did your dreams die? They die when you let them. They die when you stop believing in them, when you stop fighting for them, when you let the world convince you that they're not worth pursuing. But they can also come back to life, if you're willing to fight for them, if you're willing to believe in them, if you're willing to believe in yourself.