In Defense of Dreaming

I had a curious interaction with a student last week. While talking about the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights this student, likely frustrated that they had to sit through a whole hour with a sub, made the comment that good thoughts do nothing, only actions will change how things are. I understood where they were coming from, and when it comes to the ubiquitous “thoughts and prayers” we hear of on a regular basis I wholeheartedly agreed. Yet I felt that something was missing from that conversation, that the first step was being forgotten.

For as long as I can remember, I've had memories, and many of these memories have fueled the dreams that often highlighted my thoughts in any given day. In 2020 it occurred to me one day that I needed to be able to dream in order to find a way to do everyday things. Not just dreams of flight or other fancies, but simple imaginations of how to complete a given task. On that afternoon, I realized that I need to be able to imagine myself doing something before I actually do it. That day also marked the moment when I recognized the power that I gave to my dreams, how the hope born in them kept me on track to move ever closer to earning my doctorate and making the life I want to live. I dream to imagine the future I want to create.

So, in that moment last week, I thought about suggesting to that student that they ought to give more value to their imagination before acting on any impulses. We need to be able to see a better tomorrow in our dreams if we're going to ever realize that tomorrow today. So, go on, let your mind wander.

Oh Lord, may our days be illuminated.

Seán is a Ph.D. Candidate in History at Binghamton University focusing on the Americas in Renaissance Natural History. He is currently writing his dissertation "Trees, Sloths, and Birds: Brazil in Sixteenth-Century Natural History". He is also the creator of a podcast The Wednesday Blog by Seán Thomas Kane which can be found here.