Dream Fast…

Posted by Ron (Saint Louis, United States) on 23 February 2008 in Cityscape & Urban and Portfolio.

This is a shot taken in 1985 at a site that was soon to become a high-rise apartment building on Clark Street in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. The four of us in this shot (that's me, second from right) worked together at a public relations firm, and we also lived on the same street – Wrightwood Avenue. We passed this message painted on the side of an old building many, many times, and each of us felt as if it was speaking to us.

We took this shot one late fall afternoon to memorialize this moment in time. We were all in our twenties; fresh college grads. The shot still gives me goosebumps when I see this prophetic message of my youth.

Comments (14)

MJ from Delaware, United States

nice photo.... you should get todgether and take another one before the building is gone... relive

23 Feb 2008 7:31am

martie from Okinawa, Japan

What a message on that wall - the graffiti artist was a prophet. If only we would all listen and learn -- dream/fast! I hope the last 23 years have been filled with more joy than sorrow! Excellent photo.

23 Feb 2008 8:05am

Earnest from Oklahoma, United States

A classic. Looks like you've got an "attitude" too, Ron. :)

23 Feb 2008 8:24am

@Earnest: Well, Earnest, I certainly did think I had the world by the tail when I was twenty-something!

Tracey from White Hall, United States

Love it! Love the color wash over it. Gives it that something special!

23 Feb 2008 10:26am

Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada

ooo wow this is great! and yes you look like you'd dream in your own time, and nobobdy else's....Wonderful capture Ron!

23 Feb 2008 11:16am

amy from Rocky Mountain House, Canada

Very '70s superband album look... Great capture, Ron!! Reading that "message" really smacks me between the eyeballs... time is fleeting and so are our dreams, if not grasped and realized.

23 Feb 2008 12:57pm

jennifer from Indianapolis, United States

you know what is really crazy? my friend rob lives on the same street , Wrightwood ave., here in Lincoln park.

this is a great photo! i love the meaning behind it.

ps. awesome 80's clothes.

23 Feb 2008 1:02pm

Wysterior from Kloten, Switzerland

Cool it's like having a look in the past...

23 Feb 2008 1:19pm

Bonj from Jefferson City, United States

I agree with Amy. It has an Album Cover look to it. Cool.

23 Feb 2008 1:32pm

Graça B. from Lisboa, Portugal

Sweet Dreams (are made of this).

23 Feb 2008 7:14pm

Melissa from Warsaw, United States

I first thought this was an album cover at first. You kind of remind me of Huey Lewis in this photo. Have all of you stayed in touch over the years? Thanks for sharing, Ron.

23 Feb 2008 9:11pm

@Melissa: Actually, we did use the image to create an album-cover piece of art that we gave to John (first on left) when he moved back to Denver. It was titled "DREAM/FAST" by the Wrightwood Family. We were all very close for a number of years and kept in touch, but, sadly, we've all fallen victim to the vagaries of time and little by little we've lost touch.