Dreams: cherished aspirations, ambitions, or ideals. Something that is greatly desired.

The Dreamer. Original work by Stacey Celestino Harris

We all have dreams. We all have aspirations of what we want our life to be. A dreamer is someone who continues to fantasize, continues to reach for the stars, continues to wonder what is one the other side of the mountain. In my experience, there seems to be 2 kinds of dreamers. The kind that refuse to sink; refuse to let anything stop them from reaching their goals and making their dreams come true. And then, the other kind of dreamer is one who dreams, yes, but does nothing to make those dreams come true; just hopes that someday they will. While “hope” is something we all need to keep with us, hope alone will not make your dreams come true.

As a child, I was one who had big dreams. I was constantly fantasizing, constantly reaching, constantly wondering what other things life had in store for me. I wanted to live that extraordinary life so I built that world in my mind in hopes to reach it one day. Yet, that little girl who dreamed about everything while she grew up was constantly told to stop dreaming, to get her head out of the clouds, to stop wondering “what if”, to stop climbing that seemingly endless mountain just to see what was on the other side. I was told to get out of that fantasy world that I built for myself and get back to reality. I was told that there was no room for fantasies in this so-called “real” word. I was told that life was hard and dreaming about something different or even better was naive.

Well, that little girl is here to say that she refused to listen. She refused to stop reaching for the starts. She refused to stop climbing that mountain. She refused to give in to the “real” world.

The Dreamer is for all of those little girls who were told to stop dreaming but refused to listen. No one knows what’s best for you except for you. Having dreams and fantasizing about them coming and then taking action and making choices that allow for your dreams to come true is something that this world desperately needs. No one but YOU can make your dreams come true.

You need to actually do something about them, though. Sitting around waiting for something to happen is not going to work. Yes, life is hard but so is making your dreams come true. It takes hard work and dedication and I know this sounds so cliche but, its true. You are responsible for your own life and your own dreams. No one else can do it for you. What you need to ask yourself now is “what are you going to do about it?”

This is an original artwork that I painted while I binged watched Downton Abbey. Oil on canvas, 18×18.

A rose, beautiful and sweet. Its petals are soft, velvet to the touch. They bloom with hints of innocence and hope, love and grace. They bloom with purpose; a force that cannot be withheld. Yet, as with all things, beauty will fade, innocence will end in guilt, and hope will drift far beyond our reach. Strength however, will outlast it all.

Strength.  The ability to withstand a great force; resiliency; courage.

She is the embodiment of strength.  Like a rose, she pushes through the darkness to reach the light.  She is focused and determined; dreaming of tomorrow.  For what is to come, she will be brave.