Where Do Dreams Go?

This one is for Robin.

Where do dreams go when they don't come true? Do they curl up and die in a dirty corner somewhere? Are they like a red geranium that is planted with every hope of blooming but somewhere along the way gets lost?

Hopes and dreams are what keep us moving. Dreams of happiness and a good life compel us forward. We are driven by something within us that seeks contentment and fulfillment. When we are young our dreams are wild and we know no limits to what can be. The possibilities are endless! We want the knight in shining armour, the white picket fence and the two perfect children; one boy and one girl. We want them to grow up healthy and whole, then get married and give us grandchildren. Dreams are good. Hopes are real. Faith endures, except when bad choices or decisions cause us to lose our way.

It can happen overnight or little by litte. For most, small decisions like "just one drink" or "just one more pill" become giant obstacles that eventually, simply cannot be overcome. We slowly transform into someone we would never recognize if given a glimpse into the future. A slow, spiralling decent begins. Friends and family fade in search of a liquid high or a one night stand. The morning screams into reality and the cycle continues. Nothing else matters until one day you find yourself in a jail cell wondering how the hell you got there. You have literally nothing to call your own. Not a home, not a car.

I could say "you did this to yourself" and I would be right. I could say "I told you so" and it would be the truth. But you don't need to hear that. You need to hear "I'm here, Robin. I love you and I'm here." Let me show you the way back to where dreams live and where hope is alive. Take my hand, Robin. I'll lead you back home.