I appreciate you! aka ~Overhead assignment~

I appreciate the person that you are, and will forever remain. Through the times that I just see blankets of despair, you show me the light and a solution to the problem. In my times of weakness you reveal an unknown strength within me I didn’t know I contained. I am a better person because of you, and you have created such an impact on my life. You didn’t try to help me, but you encouraged me to help myself, and I am forever grateful, I appreciate you. You’re reliable and trustworthy, and I couldn’t ask for a better companion. I appreciate you for who you are, and the person you will forever remain.

Hurston Project

“Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board.”

What is a dream? Some would say they are images we see in our subconscious when we are no longer in our present state. Contrary, others may say these are the goals we wish to achieve. Dreaming and wishing are the concepts of which we view life. For instance that old cliché, “I wish I had this…” or “If only I had that…” When young children are asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Most of the time they give a far reach answer like Spiderman, or an astronaut, and yes we all smile and giggle and think it’s so cute, however only 65% of children actually become what they anticipated or “dreamed” as a young child. To get to the point of the example dreaming is done from a young age, subconsciously as well as literally. Dreams and wishes are often viewed as motivations. These are the things that keep many people wanting to wake up in the morning to at least achieve their dreams hence dreams are motivations. In this world we can dream as much as we want. To succeed in life, we must act on our desires. Actions speak louder than words. We can’t stay in our current conditions without ever attempting to reach our goals; this is a waste of potential. Tomorrow if you wake up and the dream is not your reality, what have you accomplished? Don’t waste potential.

Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God is filled with an abundance of poetic images, in addition to an underlying story line involving the main character (Janie), and her dreams. Janie is in the direct bloodline of slavery, she lives with her grandmother who in a way of speaking lives through Janie, due to the disappointments of her own daughter. “Dat’s one of de hold-backs of slavery. But nothing can’t stop you from wishin’.” “Ah been through too much if you just take a stand on high ground lak Ah dreamed. Here Nanny is venting to Janie about the life she had planned out for her own daughter. One day her daughter returned from school a raped young woman, which gave Nanny the interpretation that she had failed of giving her daughter the dream. This dream was an opportunity to choose her own path as an African American woman. Slavery ripped women of their feminine qualities and their voice, as a woman let alone a black woman you knew your role in society, in addition to knowing that men would manipulate you, and use you. “Ah was born back due in slavery so it wasn’t for me to fulfill my dreams of whut a woman oughta be an to do.” (Hurston 16) Nanny dreamed (the underlying theme) that Janie overcome slavery, and rise to become her own woman. She didn’t live in a small plantation house like other blacks; she went to school, and even wore decent clothes like the other white children. It wasn’t until she saw an image of herself did she learn that there was a difference in race, and color. Although Nanny just wanted to give Janie the life she never had, in a way she contradicts herself. Nanny wanted to make Janie into the woman that she felt suitable; however she didn’t consider that Janie had a different interpretation of how she wanted to pursue her life. Nanny wants to make Janie into her own respectable person, but at the expense that the person she becomes is in the vision or likelihood of her grandmother. Janie didn’t want to get married, Nanny just wanted to make sure that she would be taken care of when she passed on preventing her in not looking after her granddaughter anymore. This isn’t a real woman. Real women don’t need men to look after them; real women are strong willed and can handle any challenge placed in their direction. Janie has this capability, however since she wants to stay in the good graces of her grandmother she becomes vulnerable, and weak minded, and very easy to manipulate. If you don’t use it you lose it, if you don’t use your strong will of mind, it vanishes as quick as it was achieved.

Janie has the ability to dream, as she spent numerous occasions under the pear tree thinking of the life she could one day pursue. Unfortunately throughout her life Janie in a way of speaking is the dummy. Through each of her marriages, she lives through the dreams of her husband, and the image they want her to become. It doesn’t take much to keep Janie happy, however both Logan, and Tea Cake put her on this pedestal as if she demanded to be upon one. When Tea Cake had the idea to move on a plantation like environment, Janie was right there with a smile. Internally Janie knew she was being very introverted, which is slightly confusing as to why she continued to let it occur. Janie had the drive to dream, however lacked the motivation and the potential to achieve such goals.

“Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board.” This quote struck me to think about everyone who dreams, or wishes. Looking at someone dream or life from a distance we often wish for the life they hold. All we see is perfection; this is referred to as the outsider looking in. When you approach someone else’s dream or reality, you see the true meaning of what you once viewed and from that point we determine if we choose to proceed in that direction. Far away there is something that every human being wants, beauty, eternal life, wealth, or fame. It isn’t until the negative exposes itself do we realize that this may not be for us, and at that point every man’s wish is no longer on board.