The sleeper must awaken

It seems appropriate to explain why I’ve titled my blog “The sleeper must awaken.” The phrase comes from a movie based on a book called Dune, written by Frank Herbert and first brought to life on screen by David Lynch. I’ve now read the entire series but I sometimes get confused on the origination of some of the memories, whether from the book or the movie. David Lynch’s version took a lot of liberties with the story line, making some additions and a lot of subtractions. But wherever the origination of the phrase, I love the movie and I always have. It’s one of those timeless favorites of mine that will never get old.

In the movie, Paul Atriedes, later called Mau’dib, yells into the desert night, “Father, I promise, the sleeper will awaken.” In an earlier conversation, Paul is told by his father that “without change something sleeps inside us and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.”

Since childhood, this has been one of my most important and meaningful mottoes. It helps me accept change and embrace it. I think it applies to a large percentage of the human race. As children we have amazing dreams, some are far-fetched but many are very possible. But something prevent us from realizing those dreams. There is some change we need to make; some hurdle we have to get over. Many of us never make these necessary changes and the part of us that sleeps withers and slowly dies.

Thus, my “sleeper,” that must awaken, is my creative emotions. The part of me that allows me to create worlds inside of my mind must open its eyes and step into the world once more. And I promise, the sleeper will awaken...