Children playing in a well-groomed yard with grass as green as a clover. A dog racing around the perimeter of the perfectly painted white fence. Dad at the small backyard grill flipping hamburger patties over the burning coals. Mom at the picnic table pouring fresh lemonade into glasses as clear as crystal with the clink of the ice against the glass.
This is the scenario that comes to many minds when thinking about the American dream. A small, happy family living in a small, happy town. But what is the American dream? There is no such thing as the American dream. Others may argue, but there should not be one and only one American dream. There are only the dreams of the Americans.
Immigrants come to America for a better life, to make their dreams come true. America is a symbol to the rest of the world. A symbol of hope with the flag flying proudly at every mast. America is, at heart, a place of dreams.
Everybody has a dream, a lifetime goal they wish to achieve and accomplish. One could wish for a family in a nice forever home. One could wish to travel to every corner of the world in a never-ending adventure. Each individual has a different dream. Not one is the same, not one, because everyone is unique.
Don’t let anybody talk down to your American dream. What you want in life might not be what they wish to see in theirs, and that’s okay. Your dream is just as important as anyone else’s, so don’t let anyone tell you differently.
Most importantly don’t let yourself talk down to your own American dream. Don’t tell yourself that you can’t. Don’t tell yourself that it’s not worth it. Everyone deserves the chance to live their American dream, and they will have that chance. You have to work for it, and you have to want it because you can have anything in the world if you want it badly enough. If you want it bad enough then you’ll work for it, and only with hard work comes success. Then and only then will your American dream come true.