Who Taught You to Dream?
JP President and CEO Chastity Lord says that, now more than ever, our communities and country could benefit from a little more dreaming.
How and when do we learn to dream? To envision different paths for our lives and our world? I don’t have the answer, but what if we made a concerted effort to cultivate that skill for both our children and ourselves?
Earlier this year, we introduced our 9-year-old son to the power of dreaming and goal-setting. Joining forces with friends who have a child his age, we embarked on creating vision boards together.
Starting with the kids jotting down their aspirations for the year was truly heartwarming. They spoke of travel, mastering cursive, excelling in math, making new friends — and, of course, dreams of fame. We emphasized the significance of our words and thoughts, understanding that dreaming isn’t a rejection of the present but rather an embrace of the potential for a more fulfilling life.
Whether or not my son, his friend, or even us adults accomplish everything on our vision boards isn’t the primary concern. The essence lies in fostering a dialogue with our inherent greatness. It’s about dreaming, yearning to evolve.
Now more than ever, our communities and country could benefit from a little more dreaming and belief in something greater than our current reality. Engaging in productive dreaming isn’t easy; it requires vulnerability. We must clarify our desires and chart a course toward their realization. Dreaming propels us from the starting line, but it’s our actions that determine if we reach the finish line.
As always, thank you for accompanying JP on this journey, and more importantly, thank you for dreaming and championing public policies that ignite the dreams of nearly 2,000 JP kids and moms. Your dreams make a tangible difference.
Chastity Lord is the President and CEO of Jeremiah Program.
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