In Africa, Aamadu Dreams

What if dreams could become reality. If we could manifest our deepest yearnings to become our true and realized actuality.

What if dreams are not, as once thought, a series of abstract sensations, images and sounds that occur during sleep, but rather demonstrably real events that take place in an alternate universe that can only be accessed during certain stages of the dream cycle.

Dreams are not known to be real in the sense that they are not physical events that occur in the real world. However, they are real experiences that occur in our minds while we sleep. They can be vivid and feel very real. Yet, are they not actually happening in the physical world. Some people believe that dreams are just a part of our imagination and reflections of our daily lives.

Come, let us visit with Aamadu and Lesedi. Can we not debunk the myth that dreams are just a figment of our innermost and deep desires.

How Aamadu sliced the thin veil between dream and myth and made dreams real.

It is nighttime in Umlazi, the little village where Aamadu still lived with his mother Lesedi. It has been five years since we last saw him on the back of the faithful but highly dangerous motorbike which could have easily erupted in flames at any moment. Yet, it as if somewhere in the vast universe, a kind and benevolent spirit had watched over them, protected them through all the hardships and pain and brought them to this moment in time.

He had just turned seventeen (17) years old.

Aamadu tossed and turned in his homemade bed, he and his mother had bought, salvaged and fashioned boards into workable form in order to make him a bed. They got advice from the village bedmaker and together they had nailed it all together. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a strong firm bed. They were so proud. They had also finished a separate room for him three and a half years ago, here he stored his books and study material that the missionaries had provided steadily to the school these past years.

Now the dream was a flashback of the book he had read today.

He had learned of the famous Statue of Liberty in New York Harbour, of how the French people had given it as a gift to the USA. After its dedication, the statue became an icon of freedom and of the United States, seen as a symbol of welcome to immigrants arriving by sea. I want to go to New York and stand if front of Liberty, the young man had thought, smiling wryly to himself.

"I want to go there to study how to be a famous engineer. Then I will come back here to invent and build a wind driven turbine device to bring water and figure out how to bring electricity to this village". This he had again read in books, he may not understand it right now, or be using the right words, but he would, he had every kind of confidence in himself that he would.

His friends had not laughed at him. They smiled as they too imagined a better world for them all. They cheered him on and planned how they all would join in when the time came.

Aamadu had played every scenario in his head on how he could possibly get there. Including beaming himself through a portal the way he and his close friends had seen at the makeshift movie theatre in the village 'business' sector.

The dream

Aamadu stood in front of the great glowing portal and saw the image of the Statue of Liberty, but somehow he was the actual statue. He was made from copper sheets and stood upon a framework of four gigantic steel supports. On his head was a crown with seven spikes. In this dream it represented the seven items on his life list.

1.Stay focused and study hard. 2. Go to New York to study. 3. Attain his dream of becoming an engineer. 4.Remember the struggles and kindness of his mother. 5. Make a plan and stick to it no matter what. 6. Do not listen to those who said his head was in the clouds.7. Never forget those who had been kind and supportive to him.

This he stuck with glue above his bed upon the wall. He read it every day.

Suddenly he feels himself flying through the portal at breakneck speed, he feels ill and shouts for his mother. He didn't want to die and leave her alone.

"Umama, Mammam, Mother". He yelled in his sleep, arms flailing and reaching out to hold unto something, anything; just as long as it was a tangible, physical thing.

He saw his mother walking towards him through the portal, she looked elegant and well dressed.

"Aamadu, Aamadu, wake up. You are dreaming, wake up"!

He sat bolt upright in bed, almost knocking Lesedi over in his agitation and fright. Sweat ran down his face into his eyes. Brushing them away, Aamadu looked around frantically, saw his mother and breathed a sigh of relief. He patted his body, making sure that he was real. The dream had been so genuine. He stood up and hugged his mother, happy that she was ok and still very real.

"I'm sorry Umama, I didn't mean to wake you up. Its late, please go back to bed, we will talk in the morning". She hugged him and went back to her room.

"Try to rest yourself, Aamadu, we have an early morning". Lesedi called over her shoulder.

"You too Umama". He replied. He knew immediately that he had, without a doubt, just seen his future.

Aamadu now worked after school and weekends with the local blacksmith. He loved helping to work with the forge and helping to create things.

Lesedi and her sister had started a little shop of their own and this allowed her son to attend school full time. The trusty old bike had had some work done my Aamadu's boss at the shop. Life had gotten a bit easier for them both. They still found time to work the vegetable garden and maintain a decent crop, although rain and drought still made this difficult.

He had visited his father a few times in the big city where he now lived and worked.

A few months ago Lesedi had received a letter from a dear friend in New York who offered to help Aamadu with living accommodations while he got into a good engineering college with the help of the missionary workers in the city. His grades were great and they had offered to help.

Aamadu was accepted into "The School of Civil and Environmental Engineering in New York. He would live with 'Auntie' Anika for the duration of college, and return home after he graduated. In this he was adamant. He would learn as much as he could about the world and how it could impact his own country.

In the morning he saw the dream clearly. He knew that his life was about to change in exceptional ways. The myth had become a reality.

Two days later, his mother gave him the good news which was now confirmed.

Dreams are not myths, the young man thought to himself. He was living proof of that fact. He whistled on his way to his final year of school for the moment.

Next year, the Gods and his hard work willing. A new phase of his life would begin.

Dreams and myths collide. What if dreams are myths being explained in a type of fantasy deep within our subconscious, which then manifests into our real lives as reality.

Aamadu had made his dream become reality, thus opening up a new dream reality for the entire world.

Myths then have been born of dreams and dreams born of myths.

Where do we make the distinction?

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