Keep Your Dreams Flying Higher

Last week I was driving down the highway listening to a San Antonio a classic rock radio station. The song, Dreams by Van Halen came on. I had always liked the energy of the song; as well as, since being a big believer in the importance of dreams, I appreciated the overall theme. I thought to myself that I had never really looked at the lyrics of the song so decided to look for the lyrics and check out videos of the song.

When I made it home I went on line and saw several videos for Dreams. The video I embedded in this post struck me for several reasons. First it took me back from a savoring concept, of remembering days in Chicago attending the air and water show along Lake Michigan. I also remembered a student this past year, in the college success class I teach, who wrote his career paper on his passion of wanting to follow in the family tradition of being in the Air Force. Going into the military forces often begins with a dream when the person is younger and that is part of what the song is about. Take some time to look over the words to the song also to view and listen to the video.

Dreams By Van Halen(click on the title to activate the video)

World turns black and white, Pictures in an empty room
Your love starts fallin' down Better change your tune
Yeah, you reach for the golden ring Reach for the sky
Baby, just spread your wings

We'll get higher and higher Straight up we'll climb
We'll get higher and higher Leave it all behind

Run, run, run away Like a train runnin' off the track
Got the truth bein' left behind, Falls between the cracks
Standin' on broken dreams Never losin' sight, ah
Well just spread your wings

We'll get higher and higher Straight up we'll climb
We'll get higher and higher Leave it all behind

So baby dry your eyes Save all the tears you've cried
Oh, that's what dreams are made of 'Cause we belong in a world that must be strong
Oh, that's what dreams are made of

Yeah, we'll get higher and higher Straight up we'll climb
Higher and higher Leave it all behind Oh, we'll get higher and higher
Who knows what we'll find?

So baby dry your eyes Save all the tears you've cried
Oh, that's what dreams are made of Oh baby, we belong in a world that must be strong
Oh, that's what dreams are made of

And in the end on dreams we will depend 'Cause that's what love is made of.

From the context of the whole song it is focusing on the dreams of a couple in a relationship who are facing difficult times. “World turns black and white, Pictures in an empty room” causes me think of metaphors for barrenness and despair leading to broken dreams. From dreams in a relationship point of view, I believe the song is saying don’t give up. Keep climbing higher and higher to keep hold of shared dreams. It is important in marriage to support each others dreams and to also have united dreams together. In the difficult times the shared dreams can help the couple work together and stay strong on climbing higher in life together.

Looking at the song from just an individual dreamer standpoint, I first notice “reach for the golden ring, ..and spread your wings.” Go for the gold in your dreams. Not meaning money instead, go for the best for your life in your dreams! Keep going “higher and higher” focuses in on dreaming big. Not every big dream comes true but dreams move us out of the empty black and white of life. They take us out of the empty room. Where do the dreams take us? Sometimes as the one lyric phrase says, “Who knows what we will find?”. We often don’t know what God has in store as we move out with dreams he has implanted in us. Yet if we don’t dream or stay sulking about broken dreams, we will know where we are, as we will remain stuck in the same empty room going nowhere.

“Straight up we will climb” relates to our discipline and perseverance in following our dreams. We again go nowhere if we just write our dream down and stay seated in our recliner. We need to be actively engaged in reaching for the sky and spreading our wings following a plan of action to go for the dream. We have been reminded recently in the political arena discussions that dreamers who actively have reached out for the gold ring have been one reason for America’s success. To continue this we need to be dreamers who dream big and then are willing to spread our wings to reach those dreams!

Reflection: Are you a dreamer or stuck in your recliner in an empty room? Take ten minutes to reflect over a new dream for yourself. Maybe it is to be involved in a new volunteering venture, or writing, or a new business idea, or fill your own blank. If you are in a relationship take time to share your dreams with each other. Discuss shared dreams you want to work on together.