They say that in the moment just before
you die, some people see their entire life in a flash. These days, sometimes
when I close my eyes, I am able to see the last 6 months or so of my travel
memories in a flash. 2015 has been the best year of my life. 2016 is going to
be even better. I am a very happy man, and I know I will be for the rest of my
life.
I hope the same for you. If you are not happy, I would urge you to
figure out your dream and pursue it. Not the "dream" that most people
refer to these days- mostly in relation to one's career. I am referring to your
innate dream- a dream that is unadulterated by others' expectations of you. A
dream, the pursuit of which, requires you to pay no heed to what any other
person would say or think about you.
About the time I finished school, I asked myself, "Where do I
go from here? What do I want from my life?" Several answers popped up in
my head. I started eliminating them to narrow down to the one that I believed
was my innate dream. I knew it was innate because it was what I used to dream
about as a child. I had forgotten about it, but it all came back in that moment
of introspection.
I used to dream that in my previous life I was born in a country
where people spoke Spanish. Gradually, that country became Mexico. Ludicrous, I
know. I have no clue why. But that led me to read more about Mexico, and later,
Latin America. I learnt that Spanish is spoken in most Latin American
countries. The history, politics, and nature of the region started to fascinate
me beyond measure. I wanted to experience Latin America.
I decided to work towards realising my innate dream. I did not
share that decision with anyone for a long time. Dreams are too brittle to be
shared. When you share your dreams, people love to poke holes in them. That was
especially likely in my case since I was going to blithely chase a childhood
dream. Childhood is synonymous with immaturity. So I started sharing my dream
with friends and family only when it seemed like it was possible to make it
happen.
I learnt Spanish because to truly experience the people of a
country one must speak their language. It can be fun and an unforgettable
experience to use signs and talk like Neanderthals. But speaking the language
of a country takes travelling through it to a whole new level.
I also started saving money.
And here I am about to start living my dream. I am making it sound
like it was a walk in the park and the fruition of only my efforts. No, it was
more like what happened to the protagonist in The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I
am not a huge fan of the book. But I agree with the moral of its story- when
you want something badly, the universe conspires to make it happen for you.
Ugh, that sounds straight out of a self-help book about chasing
success and career-related dreams. But like I said, I am urging you to chase
your innate dream.
You won't regret it.
I was standing on the edge of a cliff in
Scotland. I could see Great Britain's northernmost point from there. The
natural beauty was overwhelming. There was nobody around me for several
miles except a lot of birds, intermittently strong gusts of wind and the
indifferent waves of the ocean. The coastline there is vulnerable to constant
erosion. I observed the ocean waves relentlessly chipping away the land. While
I was trying to soak in the view, our obsession with living our lives to be
considered successful by others was reduced to an inconsequential, puny
pursuit. I chuckled like an infant when the wind whispered an affirmation of my
new-found realisation.
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A fellow of mediocre talent will remain a mediocrity, whether he travels or not; but one of superior talent (which without impiety I cannot deny that I possess) will go to seed if he always remains in the same place. -Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composer and musician (27 Jan 1756-1791)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pete! That's the first comment on my blog! Alas, I'll remain mediocre then ;)
DeleteHow I wish you had recorded your trip (from 2015) here. For those of us not in a position to tap into the innate dream, reading about yours is a beautiful escape! Do write as often as possible. Wish you the best for the roads ahead!
ReplyDeleteNo point crying over spilt milk. I have learnt from my mistake :) Thank you for those kind words!
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