She had come to see the flamingos. A cap protecting her eyes from the sun, a back pack slung across her shoulders –just like any other teenager who has just finished school. Only she had a Rs 25K camera in her hands and she was not accompanied by friends as is usual for girls of her age.
We got talking. I asked her what she wants to do now that her school was finished. “I want to be a photographer”, she replied,” but my parents are not happy with that, so I will do a course in computer hardware and keep photography as my side hobby. Everybody advises that.”
The innocence and naiveté in her reply has struck a chord with me. I haven’t stopped thinking about the power of dreams; especially dreams of a mind that is not yet shackled by the chains of practicality. A mind of that can dream doesn’t think of a degree in engineering-slash-medicine-management as the only gateway to a successful career (if at all it considers a career necessary). It doesn’t necessarily think of a fair-beautiful- educated- yet homely doll or a highly well qualified -working in an MNC with a fat salary package-pompous ass as a successful match (read catch). Come to it, it does not think that success is defined by being able to boast of how important you are to the organization; how much your work is appreciated; how successful and handsome/beautiful your spouse is or how your kids top in their classes. It doesn’t even think that success is important at all!!
A mind that can dream dreams of finding happiness instead of success; and of fulfilment instead of status. All of us have dreamt at some point in our lives. Yet, somewhere we lose our capacities to dream like a child who has no expectations to live up to.
It’s a part of growing up, I suppose. :-)
