Liberating Dreams

Dreams constitute the very centre of our existence.

The Writer Vassilis Vassilikos has said that there are two kinds of dreams; liberating dreams and non-liberating dreams.

Liberating dreams are those which keep you vigilant in a sometimes miserable existence

They are the dreams you have when you lose yourself in a book, enjoy a piece of music, dream about falling in love.

Liberating dreams hate all those things which keep us grounded in life and we emerge rejuvenated from any liberating dream.

However side by side with the individual liberating dream we have its collective counterpart the non-liberating dream. This is the dream which television advertising tries to sell you telling you will achieve happiness if you buy a new car or some other expensive item.

The non-liberating dream is everywhere today... everyone is selling it to you every minute of your waking life. Most shops in main street are in the business. I reckon the public library service is an exception. And in time of globalisation this is both a privilege and a responsibility for us libarians to be in the business of the liberating dream.

It is our great privilege of giving people for example, the idea that a simple vase with flowers placed in it will transform a room and much more.