A dream chaser is what we call a person who never gives up hope of realising his or her dreams. It may be just one dream but such persons will keep trying again and again to somehow get nearer to realising it.
These are the people who have always inspired me. The more difficult the circumstances in which they have achieved their dreams, the more I admire them. In the process, I have also become a dream chaser and been successful to some extent in living some of my dreams, however, small or unambitious they were.
Going after dreams can be like running after butterflies. They lure us with their beauty and elusiveness. Even when we know it will be almost impossible to touch the beautiful wings of the butterfly, all of us have, as children, tried again and again to make that moment possible. But when we grow up, this sense of wonder and innocence leaves us and we draw all kinds of boundaries for ourselves. What should be done and what should not. What can be done and what cannot. How to do certain things and how not to. We are always
surrounded by such considerations and it becomes very difficult for us to get beyond these constraints and go for things we
really wish to achieve.
Few years ago, I tried following an old desire. That was the wish to learn the script of Urdu language. My father, who knew the language, had taught me its vocabulary over the years while I was at school. But somehow, I did not express the wish to learn the script. later, after he passed away, I began wishing that I had learnt how to write Urdu. Now and again, this little ambition would surface. So two years ago, I got down to learning it. It seemed an intimidating task but a young student, who knew the language and its script well, was good enough to have the patience to teach it to me. I had taught him earlier in university and it was wonderful to have him as my teacher now! The roles were reversed and let me tell you, he was far stricter as a teacher than I had been! Slowly, the difficult letters began to make sense to me and I could write, though hesitatingly. The joy of doing that was immense and it was then that I realised that with some amount of effort, all of us can at least do some of things we all say we have been wanting to do but cannot. I do not write much in Urdu but if I wish to, then I can. That makes me very happy.
I learnt to drive a car long after I left college. It was something I thought I could never handle. And it did take me a fortnight to learn and get over all the fear. Not giving up was the trick. It may sound something simple to many people but for me it was an achievement which has contributed a lot to the kind of person I am today.
Some other dreams like these I could fulfil but there are some which I am still struggling to make true. It does not matter how old one gets. Retaining the curiosity to learn new things help you remain young and childlike. Hope should never be lost in life. Think right now what it is you have always wanted to achieve. And just get after it. Believe me, sometimes this gives a new complexion to life, a new dimension- al richness. Perseverance is a great virtue and so is patience. Both of them can together help us reach our intended goals and specially, our desired dreams. The butterfly can be touched and the faraway music can come near and be heard clearly. If we do not let our dreams fade away with years, we can actually make them our life.
Swami Vivekananda wrote, “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life —think of it, dream of it, live that idea. let the rain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body be full of that idea and just leave out all other ideas. This is the way to success.”
The concentration required is intense and becomes like a tapasya in order to bring us what we have been chasing — an idea, a skill, a career. In short, our dreams and our happiness.