Tonight, our chokedar (basically the guy that takes care of our house and property) told me all about his dream motorcycle trip around India. We stood in front of a map of India as his finger ran from road to road, tracing the border of the entire sub-continent. He talked about how long each stint would take, where he would stay, the people he would meet, the food he would eat. He talked about the equipment he would bring. All the details, even the details that only come to mind after years and years of thinking were already worked out in his head. He told me about his dream to reach Rajastan (India’s desert state) during the peak of summer when temperatures will easily reach 50C (120F). I laughed because that may literally be impossible. Undaunted, he simply responded with, “Impossible is good. If it wasn’t impossible, everyone would do it.”
I think I had slowly started to believe that youth had a monopoly on dreaming. Certainly most people would reinforce that, telling me how my high school ideals or childhood longings would eventually fade as I stepped into the ‘real world’. Most people I think do lose this insatiable desire. But for those that keep dreaming, for those that keeping hoping and still see life full of possibilities – it’s even more encouraging to me. For that reason, it’s always been very encouraging whenever I’ve meet someone older that myself that truly has a dream, no matter how big or small. Although I’m not sure I have my dream motorcycle trip yet, this encourages me not to be afraid to find it.
I love this. Don't ever lose hope about that dream motorcycle trip. I give you my word that you will always have a willing partner right here.
ReplyDelete"What we had in common - our restlessness, our impassioned spirits, and a love for the open road." -TMD
-Jon A.
I recently met a 37 year old 'girl' who has begun kathak dance lessons. Size nor age seems to stop her and she dances beautifully, with a rarely seen grace and dedication.
ReplyDeleteI had begun to believe that once you grow past the age of 20, you need to set aside the less-productive hobbies or pursuits for the more useful, career-oriented ones. But I'm happy to stand corrected and change my beliefs, that it is not only the youth that has a "monopoly on dreaming". Dreams are for everyone, free in spirit and timeless at heart.