So you’re enjoying yourself a local newspaper while some, most, or nothing is going as planned in your life. Perhaps all is well, or to the very least, an individual, such as yourself, is simply satisfied. In certain contexts, “content” can be an alternate term for “happy”. Blinding yourself from reality through self-toxic-happiness can only go so far until you hit a sign. Or until someone hits you with a sign. Waking up is easy, getting out of bed to face a day while still remaining unfulfilled is considered to some as an accomplishment.

Take as an example, a stop light. It’s red, it’s bright, it’s intimidating, it’s infuriating, it’s pressure, it’s the urge to rebel against higher authority and even yourself; but you don’t because you can’t. You’re programmed to construct a society where order and ranks are enforced. The opportunity, so where’s your opportunity to get the “ok”? Who’s not trying to kick-start their competitive dream career. Who’s not trying to manage their income to purchase their dream home. Who’s not trying to maintain their relationships and dream family. Who’s not trying until they burn-out from a continuous cycle of grief and passion. So many trying dreams, and yet, we get tired, and so, some aspirations and goals become dying dreams. Possibly, you may get the red light on a right turn, but then again, look front, back, left, and also right.

Here’s where life gets you better. Life doesn’t hand out lemons to everyone. If more than that, you’re given just a cup, and that’s both of your hands put together in the form of a bowl. Then you have to find a water source to fill that cup, and, if lucky enough, stumble upon some sugar, or better yet, some honey. That is if you know where to go. However, the worst part that could happen, is that once you have it all, a silver platter and a silver spoon, leave for a second with your earnings unattended: Robbed.

Not sure about you, though I’ve been robbed, and I had everything with me. That everything? That everything was my music. I was in Manhattan, New York City in college with me, my songs, my performances, and my potential gig with my idol Lady Gaga. I swear, I could hear the music getting louder and louder. My life was coming together, or so I thought then. My personal experience with getting stuck and sticky was unexpected, as my opportunity, my dream, vanished within one clear text message from an individual who turned out to be outrageous and egotistic. Remember that it takes one little action, or one little thing like a text, to cut your life back short. Back to square one you go. So much for a record label deal.

That leaves us with the question: how do we, as dreamers, get back on our feet? Well, I may surprise you, but if you ask me, sometimes, you don’t because you can’t. We as a human race were designed to survive, imagine, build empires, create artistry, and raise functioning systems. Unfortunately, we can do so much, we’re limited mortals. When you fall or get tripped over, allow yourself to not immediately stand up again not because you can’t or shouldn’t, but because you have a choice to rest. Rest and recover. After all, figuratively, we have two hands. I have two, you have two.