When dreams mature

Dreams don't die.
They simply change their voice when we grow weary.

At first, they shout at us with fervor,
promising us the world,
and swift victories,
and glittering endings.

Then we grow older...
And dreams become quieter,
less noisy,
and more truthful.

We discover that the true dream
isn't about arriving first,
but about arriving while still being true to yourself.

Not betraying your principles for fleeting applause,

not selling your time to things that don't reflect you,
not exhausting your soul in a race you didn't choose.

A mature dream
doesn't ask you to burn out,
but to persevere.

It doesn't promise an easy path,
but gives meaning to every step,
even the ones that hurt. When you look back years later,
you won't be proud of how quickly you arrived,

but of the strength you possessed to persevere
Unseen,
Uncelebrated,
But true to yourself.
Dreams that mature
don't dazzle others,
but they save their dreamer.