Some thoughts on dreaming... (Laurie Faria Stolarz)

The topic this month is dreams – dreams in general, dreams versus reality… 

Over the years, I’ve come to realize that dreams and reality aren’t opposing forces. Instead they work hand-and-hand. My dream of becoming a writer was born of my reality, and it began long before I could even write. As a preschooler with a big imagination and not a lot of resources, I loved telling stories to anyone who would listen to me. That early spark of imagination has shaped my journey in ways I could have never predicted.

There’s a certain magic in that dreaming—the allure of possibility and the wonder of it all. My dream carried me through adolescence and young adulthood. I’m grateful for what it gave me: a creative outlet, a sense of escape, a reason to feel hope, and something that was entirely mine—something no one could take from me, especially if I kept it all to myself.

Dreams, for me, have been the magical place where anything is possible. I can't imagine what life would've been like without them. They’ve given me vision, hope, and motivation. And, somehow, through a magical recipe of luck, perseverance, hard work, and creativity, my dream became a reality. 

But it didn’t stop there. 

Every experience I have – every hardship, setback, and victory too – has shaped and reshaped my reality, sparking new things to feel hopeful for.

With respect to my writing, some have asked me if the reality has been as magical as the dream? At times, the reality has been even better than what I could have imagined all those years ago playing with dolls made of paper towels, driving them around in egg-carton cars, as created worlds and stories for them. Other times, no; the dream has been better. More often than not, the reality has simply taught me things and given me perspective.

And, since we’re talking about dreams, I know all too well how easy it is to feel defeated when things don’t happen as we’d imagined. There are, in fact, some really dark days for a lot of dreamers, myself included. But I honestly believe that dreaming is one of life’s greatest gifts. That sense of possibility and optimism... The secret sauce - or key ingredient - that keeps me moving forward.