Dreams, Visions, and Bruce Lee

"These dreams go on when I close my eyes

Every second of the night I live another life"

Those dreams, those middle-of-the-night-head-heavy-on-the-pillow dreams, are not the ones I enjoy. I'd rather skip the ones where I'm sitting in church, surrounded by my neighbors, trying to listen to the lesson, while no one around me notices that I seem to have forgotten my bra. And my shoes. And my dress.  I don't like the dreams where I'm running from a madman in heels. (I'm in heels, he has on supersonic tennies.) I have no control there in my nighttime world. I am plagued by the weird and unexplainable.  I wish I could be more like the Handy Man, who rarely remembers his dreams. Mine always come back to me in perfect clarity.

There are other dreams, though. The ones I conjure up on my own. Those come to me in those sweet moments when my head first hits the cool pillow. It's quiet, peace has settled upon our home.  Here in the twilight, I can build my world.  My mind wanders to a future that I crave.  I see the accomplishments I yearn for, goals I know I can achieve.  These dreams are private. No one enters this world but me.  I don't dare share the lofty aspirations that I envision. 

Yesterday, I read something in a magazine. This-

My Definite Chief Aim

I, Bruce Lee, will be the first highest paid

Oriental super star in the United States.  In

return I will give the most exciting performances 

and render the best quality in the capacity of

an actor.  Starting 1970 I will achieve world 

fame and from then onward  til the end of 1980

I will have in my possession $10,000,000. I

will live the way I please and achieve inner 

harmony and happiness.

Bruce Lee

Jan. 1969

The writer of the article** pointed out that Bruce most likely would've achieved his goals if not for his untimely death in 1973.  She suggested everyone write their own 'Definite Chief Aim'.  She also gave some ideas about writing it, which I'm going to share-

Write it by hand, on nice paper (no envelopes or napkins.) Only write what you truly want to do, something that will light you up.  Keep it to yourself. (The word 'secret' was written at the top and bottom of Bruce Lee's page.) Sign it.

I LOVE this idea. I have dreams, big dreams. I honestly think I can achieve them, yet, I cannot share them. I worry that others will scoff or chuckle.  I do not want that 'pat on the head' that accompanies the patronizing smile. So, I keep them inside and let them live in those precious minutes before slumber overtakes me each night.  Today, I will write them down. I will have my own Defininte Chief Aim.  I will not hold back, afraid of what someone else may think.  These are my dreams. I will write them boldly, and, someday, I will hold up my Definite Chief Aim and say, 'See, I knew I could do it.'

Will you write yours?

Thank you, Mr. Lee.

(Photo from brucelee.com)

*'These Dreams' written by Martin Page and Bernie Taupin, performed by Heart. Truly awesome song.

**from Good Housekeeping May 2012.