What is a dream?

Dreams seem distant sometimes, like when we go to sleep, everything is flashes, distortions, images, cutaways, and subliminal messages, then waking to reality. Reality, believing it was nothing but our imagination. Or was it?

When consciously wandering into the same imaginary world, it’s daydreaming of the life, love, or fortune from that moment.

Those are the unshakable ideas, passions, and experiences that keep the drive and dedication going, moving forward.

What is a dream in reality?

I have had a few of those dreams, well, what I thought were supposed to be the dreams I hold on to. Each time I set out to accomplish the dream, I was knocked out like T.K.O. Most of the time, it was me; the other times, it wasn’t the right time or the dream wasn’t meant for me. Instead, I was supposed to help someone with their dreams.

Dreams and destiny are words with heavy weight; it's the fulfillment of the spirit, one's purpose, dharma, the spark of life, to be able to say,“this is why I was put here”. When most individuals speak about their destiny, socially, people respond in several different ways- disbelief, irritation, annoyance, judgment, and questioning what? And why? And how do you know? Some are curious, understanding, open-minded, and willing to help accomplish the goal.

Are the reactions toward the person’s confidence a reflection of a lack of confidence or self-assurance?

People have a way of justifying who and what is considered possible. It’s a natural response to the unknown. The idea of a dream is cloaked with a shroud of fantasy. The possibilities of failures can be scary, keeping the dream locked away.

Dreams can be scary, they can also be fantastic fantasies come to life that engage the mind, expand it beyond its normal reach, and once it achieves the downside is says, “ Think I’d better let it go, looks like another love T.K.O.” Because it’s overwhelming, imposter syndrome breaks down the unconscious door and sits staring out. Reminding it’s not good enough, it’s too difficult.

Then, just like Teddy, while wiping the pain of disappointment away, he picks himself up and says I guess I start all over again.

But another fight, things ain't right, I'm losin' again

Takes a fool to lose twice and start all over again

He wasn’t giving up on his dream to find and be in a lasting, loving relationship. No, he acknowledged yeah, he may be a fool to lose twice, but he’s willing to try anyway.

The last few years have felt like that, a dream once held dear was only a fantasy. As society fights back against the nightmare of the entities holding up the structure. Other countries and institutions are willing to start all over again. Letting go of power structures, who’s always been in charge. Letting go of who can achieve, who can connect, and who can create.

There’s an awakening from this long slumber- unfortunately, building a dream in reality is not like the “dream”-easy, or whimsical, but can be painful, challenging, and chaotic. The change disseminating from trying to accomplish the dream can touch every sense, every nerve, every cell. Transforming our internal perspectives about ourselves and others.

Every dream ever achieved knocks the person or people out in one way or another- the disbelief that the dream came true is one way, the time it took to get to that dream, or the process, are all aspects of a dream, knocking people out with overwhelming emotions.

The people of America used to have a dream of equality. What happened to that dream? That dream is not lost in some sea of bigotry; it’s taking on a new form, a more structured form for the civilization’s dream of equality to be attained.

Where are we in this Dream towards the future? Are we in the middle when everything seems to be falling apart? Or Are we at the end of this storyline when everyone learns from the experience?

Psychology has a theory to explain what happens when trying to achieve self-actualization.

Self- actualization is the complete realization of one’s potential, and the full development of one’s abilities and appreciation for life. According to the Maslow hierarchy of needs, not every human will reach it.

There are some key points of this theory, one of which is that people who have achieved self-actualization have an unshakable acceptance of who they are, despite their faults and limitations, and experiences driving creativity in all aspects of their lives. Another behavior is that, even though backgrounds are different, they do share notable characteristics in common, such as cultivations of deep/loving relationships with others.

Maslow’s theory stated that no internal drive to self- actualization will emerge or seldom emerge until more basic needs are met.

Looking back over the years and decades, this internal drive has been slowly diminished in one way or another. Mainly by the lack of societal basic needs being met.



Attainment of self-actualization, also referred to as self-realization or self-cultivation, is full involvement in life and realization of the capability to accomplish it. These dreams seem difficult to achieve because people’s basic needs have not been met.

Until the moment the needs of the people are fulfilled, there will be no ending insight. In my opinion, we are in the thick of it or about to be in the thick of it. Midterms are around the corner, and that will be a significant sign of which direction things are headed.

Until then, focusing on what is important? What is happening now, “the right now”-builds the future.

What is happening now?

On February 17th,2026, there was a switch of energy from focus on self to focus on the whole. When there’s an unconscious shift, mourning takes place. A reflection of the past year and the last two months, a grounding and completion of letting go of other spiritual/ religious events start of Ramadan- starts with the sighting of the new waxing crescent moon marking the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, calculated by the 46th day before Easter. Due to Easter being a movable feast the first Sunday after the first full moon following the March 21st equinox. The Chinese New Year - lunsolar calendar, falling on the second new moon after the winter solstice. A new moon was also present, all representing an “ reset.”

All this fresh new energy is calling for people to let go, look back at those tears, and say, "Let's start all over again."



Teddy Pendergrass knew how hard it is to let go, but love, like anything else held dear, can knock us out for a moment.

Lookin' back over my years

I guessed, I've shedded some tears

Told myself time and time agai

This time I'm gonna win

But another fight, things ain't right

I'm losin' again

Takes a fool to lose twice

And start all over again

[Hook]

Think I'd better let it go

Looks like another love T.K.O

Think I'd better let it go, let it go, baby

Looks like another love T.K.O

Reflection can be rigid if there aren’t some guardrails in place. It is very similar to the stages of grief. There’s sadness, anger, denial, negotiation, and acceptance. Over the last two years, people have become confronted with their beliefs and those beliefs being tested. Some to this day hold those beliefs dear; others have let go and have accepted they can change their beliefs with no judgment. Love is the most difficult part of life to shake when it doesn’t work out. Looking back is brutal and beautiful, memories of the good, the bad, and the ugly swirl around, touching sensitive emotions, followed by a lot of whys? can’t I believe? What went wrong? I gave it my all, why? Then there’s the buts, contradictions, a negotiation with heart and head; staying or leaving. That was the year of the snake. The year of shedding, making room for the truth of self and others. This letting go has allowed communities to wake up to the realities around them. No more dependence on falsities to sustain a “good” life. No more turning a blind eye to your neighbors' experiences, no more ignoring the truth to keep up the lies. It was a T.K.O to perceptions, a T.K.O to judgment, it was a T.K.O to ignorance.

Tried to take control of the love

Love took control of me

'Cause you lose all thoughts, sense of time

And have a change of mind

Takin' the bumps and the bruises

Of all the things of a two-time loser

Tryin' to hold on, faith is gone

It's just another sad song

[Hook]

Think I'd better let it go

Looks like another love T.K.O

Think I'd better let it go, let it go, baby

Looks like another love T.K.O

It can be rough facing the truth. Internal Battle scars form imaginary barriers ready for the next fight. Trying to hold on to what is hurting makes it very hard to let go. It’s like walking in the dark with a very small light shinning the moon and stars. There’s also something beautiful about self-actualization, which is initiated by transforming confidence and releasing negative behavioral patterns.

Teddy Pendergrass's lesson is that dreams can be realized only when we are finally ready to let go, acknowledging we got knocked out, then try all over again. New insight, plans, and understanding.

“Dreams are lovely, but they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change.” —Shonda Rhimes