We Come from Shattered Dreams

Every Person Writes a Story, Whether They Realize It or Not
The brightest threads woven into this story are our dreams. However, just as dreaming is an inseparable part of life, so too is the shattering of those dreams. This breaking, known as “inkisâr-ı hayal” in Turkish (the disappointment of a dream), raises an important question: Does it destroy us, or does it rebuild us? The answer lies in how we respond to these moments of breaking.

The Shattering of Dreams: Destruction or Opportunity?

Inkisâr-ı hayal initially creates an earthquake in the depths of the soul. The tremor often shakes the very foundations of a person’s world. At this critical point, the individual’s emotional reflexes come into play. While some may feel crushed beneath the rubble, others use the wreckage as material to build anew. What enables someone to rise from the ruins? Perhaps the answer lies in recognizing these moments of disappointment and uncovering the lessons hidden within them.

Moments of Disappointment: Life’s True Curriculum

Human beings plan, dream, and set goals. Yet life is not a mathematical equation where plans always add up; it is a chaotic and unpredictable narrative. The unexpected detours and disappointments in life are, in fact, lessons it offers us. Each instance of inkisâr is part of a hidden curriculum—teaching patience, courage, or sometimes, the art of letting go.

Great thinkers have often turned their disappointments into stepping stones to success. For instance, Thomas Edison faced countless failures before inventing the lightbulb, but he saw every failure as an opportunity to learn. Perhaps the message whispered by inkisâr-ı hayal is this: A fall is not the end; it’s the herald of a new beginning.

From Broken Dreams, a New Creation Emerges

When dreams shatter, a person stands at a crossroads: either they continue down the same path and risk being broken again, or they forge a new trail for themselves. At the heart of this process is transformation. Transformation is about shedding the old self to create a new identity. This is not just an individual journey but a collective one as well—societies, too, are reborn from the ashes of their shattered dreams.

Much like a child who creates a new game from broken toys, humans can also build a new dream world from their broken aspirations. This new world can be more realistic, sustainable, and meaningful than the one that came before.

The Transformative Power of Disappointment

The breaking of dreams is one of life’s most painful yet profoundly educational experiences. These moments of breaking reveal the depth of our soul and our resilience. Every shattered dream can either pull us down or serve as a step to lift us higher. At this point, the choice is ours: Will we view disappointment as a defeat, or as an opportunity for transformation?

We can rise again from where our dreams were broken. The key is to see every ruin as a construction site, every fall as a takeoff, and every ending as a new beginning. Perhaps the essence of being truly human lies in this courage.

As Imam Ghazali beautifully put it:
“Patience in the face of calamities polishes the soul and brings it closer to the light of truth.”
Dreams that are broken are also a type of calamity; but these calamities are opportunities for individuals to rediscover themselves.