Dream

In April 2009 a frumpy middle aged woman appeared on the television show, Britain's Got Talent. After some odd antics that left the judges shaking their heads in disgust, she said she was going to sing "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables. The audience found it incredulous that such a frumpy woman could sing this rather difficult song. Then she started singing, and, within a few seconds the attitude in the auditorium changed. Susan Boyle was wanting to fulfill the dream her mother had for her, to be a professional singer. Last week the wife had Alexa playing some music and after a few songs, I heard Susan Boyle singing "I Dreamed a Dream." The lyrics are rather appropriate to our world today where dreams are being upended for some by aggressive tactics. 

Follow along as Susan Boyle sings "I Dreamed a Dream" at this link (starting at the 1:44 mark). 

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving

And I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame

And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live our life together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream
I dreamed

Aspirations are part of our human condition. Those that are on the lower ends of the socio-economic ladder in particular face difficulties. During his last public address on Easter Sunday, 2025, the day before he died, Pope Francis added to his many comments on migrants (for example, see 10 Feb 2025 letter to US Bishops): "...how much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants! On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas! For all of us are children of God!"

This nation was built on the premise of basic rights as first identified in the Declaration of Independence (250 years ago): "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

One program that is now essential in the nation is social security, as one example. With the nation now  continuing to experience historic low birth rates and with births near equaling deaths. Growth in population has to come from migrants. And, the nation needs growth, as social security and other programs depended on a standard population pyramid, which is now a rectangle.

Susan Boyle, that then frumpy middle-aged Brit, inverted the audience's opinion of her. She would get some fame and would release varied music titles. That is not the case for many of those affected by governmental actions.  Has the nation cut out the ability of people, whether legal or not, to realize their dreams?