Who Stole Your Dream
Posted: Tuesday, March 04, 2008
by Michael Kocis
http://www.buildhomesolar.com
Ever ask a small child what they want to be when they grow up ? You'll hear some mighty high aspirations. Depending on the the situation when you ask, you could get a variety of answers from super hero, cop, fireman, to some type of athlete, doctor, movie star, or astronaut.
A theory I heard many years ago was that a child's "soul" even at just a few years old, wasn't that far removed from where it was created. This is to suggest that, even though we don't exactly remember where we were before we got here, we have a "gut" feeling of being there.
Please don't confuse this idea with reincarnation, which I do not believe in simply because that theory has no basis of logic, purpose or relative meaning. Or in short...it doesn't make any sense.
So, what happens to these great expectations of our youth? These strong visions of fulfilling our purpose in life. Or dreams of anythings possible ?
Short version is, Life gets in the way. Our society is set up to filter us through schools which attempt to teach us a wide range of subjects. Some we may excel in, others almost seemed blocked from entering our brains.
12 years of this mixed with learned social behavior, pick slowly away at the original passion we once possessed. Whatever is left at this point of the "childhood dream" is usually overcome with the reality of getting a job.
Most likely the first one offered to you. The average person at this point begins climbing the ladder. The ladder of, this job pays more than that job, which pays more than that job...and so it goes.
Now there are exceptions, but at this point in an average typical life ( 20's-30's) comes love and a family. The obvious pressures of accountability force one to continue playing the ladder game. Before it is even realized, we are so far removed from what we knew as children, that we can't even remember how or why we got here.
All of this could easily explain a portion of the huge use of alcohol, drugs, therapy, searching for your own spirituality, divorce, addictive behavior, on and on....there's a lot of unhappy, unfulfilled people out there.
A good example of how we deal with this later in life is, why is it Michael Jordan got paid millions to put a ball through a hoop ? or famous movie stars get millions to "act." ? While teachers live on a tiny salary. Because for the bulk of people in the world, these "stars" ( interesting word, maybe that's where our original hopes and dreams went, back up to the stars) represent who we are not. For that moment in time as we watch them perform, we ARE them.
We get to leave our mundane, average lives and for that time period we're flying through the air making that dunk, or we're that character on the big screen. Still not sure...observe a group of guys watching a Superbowl and tell me they're not "living it."
So who stole your dream ? When did you get off track from your passion ? More importantly how will you get back. If you asked the little six year old "inside" what do you want to be when you grow up, what would they say today ?
Good news is, once you realize this, no matter at what age, there is still plenty of time to do "a do over." You remember those, when something didn't work out fair or right, you simply called a Do Over.
See you later kids.
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)Great article Michael! When I grow up I want to be a criminalogist - But in the meantiime, I couldn't be more fulfilled than where God has me at this moment in time. For now, I solve my cases on Court TV-excuse me, True TV,along with my favorite forensic guys and gals! It's really kinda cool - I don't have to get my hands dirty and I always have the right answers :-)Sounds like fun, so when can we expect the new hit series " Law and Ortiz "
Hold you breath, its' coming soon. If it takes a little longer, don't worry, I will make you my first case with high priority. :-)
Hey Michael. My first job was working with a husband and wife team who trained dogs. I went from that job straight away to training men in the form of marriage. From there it was the children. At present, I can confidently say that I have succeeded in sliding all the way back down the ladder of life and am starting all over again. Trying to get this pesky writing career off the ground and I'll tell you what, it's a whole lot easier telling than it is doing, but I've just about run out of things that need training, I'm all that's left. It's a ways off yet, but I feel sorry for my future grandchildren. Great article, love how you make a person think!Myla, First let me say Thank You, your closing comment is, without a doubt, one of the greatest compliments I could ever hope to receive. So you were a "Man-trainer" now there's a franchise opportunity that would explode across America better than McDonalds or Starbucks. If you were good at it. As for your "pesky writing career" it's already off the ground Dear, now it's just a matter of getting it to 30,000 feet. Michael
Thank you for the encouragement Michael, and I'm glad an honest opinion is such a great compliment to you!
hi michael, excellent article. i was told, somewhere, by someone, the same things, and i believe them. i forgot about believing them until you reminded me, thank you. i smiled at the do over's. every night we'd play kickball, and there were so many do over's. forgot all about it. thanks again. i always wanted to be a mother. best thing i ever did. thanks for an interesting, moving, well written article, congratulations on pick of the day. best regards, sue thomHi Sue, yeah...remembering those do overs is fun. You made me think, today I'm going to be on the look out for a do over, should get some interesting looks when I call it. Thanks Michael
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