There is nothing like a dream to create the future.

"There is nothing like a dream to create the future." These words of the great Victor Hugo ring with timeless truth. In this simple yet profound statement, Hugo speaks to the very essence of human ambition and vision. It is the dreams that stir in the hearts of men and women that shape the world, not the cold calculations of mere practicality. For what is the future but a canvas, waiting for the brushstrokes of our most daring dreams? It is through these dreams, often born in the quiet chambers of the mind or in the darkest hours of the soul, that we craft the path forward—both for ourselves and for all those who will follow.

Consider the story of Thomas Edison, whose invention of the lightbulb was not merely the product of scientific inquiry but of an immense dream—a dream that illuminated not just a room, but the world. Edison’s dream of bringing light to the darkness began long before the first bulb flickered to life. It was in the quiet moments of contemplation, in the face of failure and rejection, that his vision began to take shape. His dream was the foundation of the future he would create. In the glow of that dream, he saw a world transformed, and through relentless dedication, he made it so. His dream was not born from the practicalities of the moment but from the hope that the future could be brighter—literally and figuratively.

The ancient philosophers understood this well. Plato once wrote that the first step toward creating anything of significance was to conceive it in the mind—to allow it to take root in the world of thought before it ever materialized in the physical world. The future, to Plato, was shaped by the grand ideas that emerged from the human spirit. The dream was not something separate from reality but the very foundation of what reality would one day become. In this sense, dreams are not fleeting or ephemeral; they are the first spark of all that is to come, the very breath that animates the future.

Take, for instance, the example of Mahatma Gandhi, whose dream of a free and united India was born long before the world could see its realization. In the face of oppression and division, Gandhi held to his dream of peace and nonviolence. This dream guided him through the darkest moments of his struggle and inspired millions to stand alongside him. It was not military strength or brute force that won India its freedom, but the power of a vision—a dream so powerful that it moved hearts and minds across the globe. Gandhi’s future was built not on what was, but on what could be, a dream of unity and justice that transcended the present.

Yet, dreams are not always easy. They are not always comfortable or safe. The road from dream to reality is paved with obstacles, and many will falter, questioning their own vision. But it is in the pursuit of the dream that the future is created. The process itself, the very act of reaching for something greater than ourselves, shapes not only the world around us but the very character of the dreamer. Consider the trials faced by Nelson Mandela, whose dream of equality and freedom for all South Africans cost him 27 years of imprisonment. Yet even in those dark years, his vision never wavered. His dream was so powerful that it sustained him through suffering, and in the end, it was the realization of that dream that led his country into a new era.

So, dear listeners, let us understand the lesson that Victor Hugo offers: the future belongs to those who dare to dream. Your dreams, however wild or impossible they may seem, are the seeds from which the future will grow. The world we live in is not the world that will be—it is the world that we have dreamed into existence. Our ancestors dreamed of flight, of freedom, of progress, and their dreams became the foundation of our reality. We, too, must dream boldly, for in those dreams lie the blueprints of the future.

In your own life, I urge you: dream not of what is, but of what can be. Do not let the limitations of the present bind you, for it is only in dreaming beyond the boundaries of today that you will ever step into the possibilities of tomorrow. Cultivate your dreams as the farmer cultivates the seed, nurturing them with patience, perseverance, and a deep belief that the future is not something to wait for but something to create. Dream with all your heart, and as you walk toward that dream, know that you are walking toward the future. In the end, it is through the pursuit of our dreams that we shape the world for generations yet to come.