“You are a failure”, “You deserve nothing”, “Why do you even bother?”, “Just give up!”, “You will never make it”, ”No one loves you”…
Wait hold up… Let’s switch this negative train around.
“You are not a failure”, “You deserve everything”, “You should put 100% in everything you do”, “Do not ever give up”, “You will definitely make it”, “Just know, that you are always loved”…
There… Much better. Let’s begin.
When we were little, we had huge dreams. A pilot, an astronaut, a professor, a police officer – Our aspirations seemed endless. Then there were days our elation shot through the roof where we dressed up and pretended to be like our idols. The thought of sky’s the limit was in the palm of our hands, and all we would say to our parents after seeing our heroes seizing the day in their line of work is, “Someday, I’m gonna be just like them”, a big dream. By golly does it bring back great memories. Dreams are not just illusions we picture in our minds before we shut our eyes to imagine it. It can blossom if we are able to plant the seed for it to grow, bloom, and come into existence. The question is, are you willing to put in the effort to make your aspirations come true?
In college, at the Professional Golfers Career College, I had a class called the Seeds of Greatness. As unique of a name it held, it was a motivational class to inspire us in achieving our goals. Dr. Tim Somerville, the founder and co instructor of the class told a story which has stuck with me ever since. The story was about a CEO who was in the market for a successor to his company. He had five candidates who were given a seed and were instructed to plant it. The goal was to germinate the seed and grow a plant. So off they went, and the race for the best plant was in motion, however one of the candidates had an issue with his seed. He planted his seed and did all the necessary requirements to grow his plant, and in spite of his efforts, it never grew any leaves nor even a shoot. He did everything in his power to germinate the seed but came to no avail. When the time came for the CEO to pick his successor, the man showed up in the boardroom with a pot only filled with dirt and his seed that never bloomed. The other four however showed up with their respective pots filled with a blooming plant. Whispers start to echo across the table, and the man just bowed his head in disbelief. The CEO walked in and looked at all five pots. He then told the four candidates that had a pot with a fully bloomed plant to leave as they were not chosen for the position. The air became heavy and murmurs of frustration filled the room. Once the four candidates left the room, the CEO looked at the fifth candidate and congratulated him on the new position. The CEO’s reason was because of the candidate’s honesty and perseverance in trying to solve the issue he had with the seed, and did not take the easy way out of the problem. Apparently the CEO had actually given all five candidates a seed that was already dead, and it was never able to grow. His test was to see if the candidates were willing to see it through with the sole task at hand, and not take shortcuts, purely to cheat. He did not want an individual who would cheat their way through, if things don’t go the way they wanted it to. The moral of the story is to do things with candor and heart.
Now Dr. Tim elaborated more in depth in the significance of the story. He explained how we all plant seeds in whatever we do in life. Sometimes it can be good and sometimes it can be bad- it is entirely your decision of what you would do with the seeds that have been given to you. He explained that if we plant good seeds and care for it, the outcome would be outstanding, but if we were to plant bad seeds, it stems into poor decision making and unacceptable behavior. The meaning behind Dr. Tim’s explanation is telling us that if we were to start something in our lives, we should do it right, see it through, and not half-bake our vision. If we decide to be dishonest in our vision, and deceive others, the ripple effect of collateral damage will loom over our heads as we move forward with our immoral decisions. The concept was foreign to me. It never dawned upon me how seeds are the symbolism of our decision making. Every action we take, holds such weight and repercussions.
A pen and paper to write was never a dream I had when I was little. I was a kid who dreamt of performing alongside talented instrumentalists in a philharmonic troop. The sensation of flowing with the beat has always given me the feeling of freedom and peace. It was an outlet for me to shut out the world and be in a place of tranquility. My passion was fired up with engrossment as I dabbled in more than one instrument. I was adamant in pushing myself to be the kid who could play many instruments, and be good at it. Throughout my high school career I learned how to play the piano, violin, trumpet, soprano saxophone, and drums. Long hours of practice, calloused fingers, and a bruised lip- Being a musician was an unyielding dream I had, and it was an unshakeable one. However as life moved on, it became a dream left in the backshelf as new ventures came knocking on my door. Sports, writing, college applications, life changing decisions- It made me put music to the side without realizing how big of an impact it had on me. Even though becoming a musician was not in the books for me, I did come to realize the significance of it. As I write this paragraph, with tunes playing through my headphones, and tapping my fingers and feet away with the beat, I recognized how music was the good seed I planted to get to where I am today.
Music taught me to listen to my bandmates so we all would sound as one, and it even showed me the beauty of friendship and communication. These traits molded my personality to become a better teammate on my golf team in college, and it allowed me to interact with anyone with different views and beliefs, without judgement. Never would I have thought music was the one to change my life. Despite music now being the only beats I hear through other individuals performing, I still have my violins, piano, drumsticks, and trumpet mouthpiece kept at home, and occasionally I would gaze at them for a few seconds to reminisce the times of where all I wanted to do was play. It’s a feeling I can never describe because it was a craft I truly had a passion for, and it was the one thing I took seriously at a very young age.
You grow with time, and plans do not always go as straightforward as you would have dreamt. However there is always a reason for it, and this is why we should start planting good seeds for our stem to grow, branch out to limbs and create the tree of life, which bears the fruits of love and hope. Every decision and step we take is the branch we create on our tree of life. If it is a good decision, we see it bloom into new chapters or symbolically- new leaves and flowers. If we make poor decisions, our stem growth or new branch will wither and die, resulting in a complete halt in expanding our minds to bigger and better opportunities. Now, once we have implanted a new idea or you could say fertilizer into our tree of life, we have to give 100% of us for it to be a success. If we think watering it once a week hoping it will give optimal results at the end of day, then you must be kidding yourself. Every dream we wish for accomplishment is solely from the dedication and effort we put in for it to become true. No one in this world will just give it to you. You have to earn it, and its taste will be that much sweeter when you know you did all the work to make it happen. Never put yourself on crutches, and expect the same exact results as the individuals who run towards their goal.
All the negative quotes was not the way I would start a post, but it had to be said, because each and every one of us have been told these adverse statements in hopes to belittle us, by oppressors who thirst for self-admiration. In this world, there will be people who will throw curveballs at you, and your job to yourself, is to hit a homerun when it comes sailing towards you. They do not decide the fate of your life, you do. Our world is constantly changing and growing. Though sometimes destruction is used in order to satisfy the people in higher power so they could keep the citizens from barking up their alley. We know where we stand with the seeds we have planted for ourselves, so what can we do to ensure good seeds are planted around us, and maybe around the world, despite the negativity we see? What this world is currently facing is the deforestation of the trees of life our ancestors have planted for us to have a more desirable life. It is in dire need of positive change to replace the somber baron lands that once stood the tree of life we seek. Maybe it’s time for us to start planting these good seeds, rebuild our tree of life, and fertilize it purely from our passion and love for the world that is ignited in our hearts. So start somewhere. You could start planting these good seeds at orphanages, animal shelters, or even hospitals. Nurture and water these seeds, because eventually, it’ll spread and grow into better movements. As I mentioned before in my previous post, one person can speak out about change, but when the word of mouth brings forth the people, we then become a force to be reckoned with.
We hear talks of how some goals are not reachable and those who pursue them are just a bunch of foolish dreamers who do not realize the reality check of surviving in this day and age. Well you know what? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream, Coach Herman Boone had a dream, NFL player Shaquem Griffin had a dream, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Seri Dr. Wan Azizah had a dream, Opera Singer Andrea Bocelli had a dream. I had a dream…
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a pastor who went through hell and back, and marched with thousands to fight for desegregation, so everyone could have equal rights to live and not be judged by their skin color. He traveled close to 6 millions miles and spoke over 2500 times wherever there was injustice to the people. He delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech in Washington, and it became one of the most iconic speeches known to date. He was assaulted and arrested many times, but did he stop believing in what was right? No. Coach Herman Boone was the head coach of the first racially integrated high school football team in the US. Coach Boone initially received criticism and racial calling, because he was African American and people at the time were not approving of the integration of Caucasians and African American students, let alone a head coach like Coach Boone who was of a different skin color. Lo and behold Coach Boone, and his assistant Coach, Bill Yoast turned T.C Williams High School football program around. They led the team to their first State Championship that very same year he was hired, and earned the respect he deserved from the start. Did racial abuse damper Coach Boone in doing his job right? No.
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Shaquem Griffin was born with amniotic band syndrome, which eventually led to the amputation of his hand at the age of 4. His disability was not seen as an obstacle as he went on to play football, baseball, and run track in high school. His determination led to his accolades of earning a scholarship to play football in college, and being drafted to play in the NFL soon after. During an interview with Seattle Times, Shaquem stated, “I do what I do. I live my life the way I’ve been living it. I haven’t changed anything.” He went on to state how helping people is key to his way of life and he loves to hear their story. He said, “I meet so many people and it’s always a different story. It’s always someone who’s trying to overcome something and living out their dreams.” Did his disability stop him from achieving his goal and helping people in the process? No.
Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Seri Dr. Wan Azizah, never fathomed the involvement in politics, let alone be the next in line should our Prime Minister step out of his office due to unforeseen circumstances. Her first love was being a doctor as she dedicated 14 years of her life as a medical practitioner in our government institutions. When her husband became the Deputy Prime Minister, she decided to focus on volunteer work and was appointed as the patron of MAKNA (National Cancer Council). She later became the leader of the Reformasi movement when her husband was arrested and dismissed as the Deputy Prime Minister in 1998. She led a civil rights NGO called the Social Justice Movement, formed the political party called Parti Keadilan Nasional, and became the first president of the Party. After her husband’s release from prison, and his announcement of returning to politics, Dr. Wan Azizah was ever prepared to make way for her husband to reestablish his position in the political scene. Even with the disqualification of her husband’s application for a seat in Parliament due to sodomy allegations, Dr. Wan Azizah contested for it and retained the seat. People in Malaysia doubted her capabilities solely because she was a woman. Dr. Wan Azizah made it clear and stated to the public that being appointed as the first woman Deputy Prime Minister is proof that women can aim for the stars. Did all her tribulations push Dr. Wan Azizah away from being a leader for the people? No.
Now where do I even start with Andrea Bocelli. A man who went blind due to a soccer injury was still able to gain a law degree and practice it. Music was always a passion of his and he went on to pursue it. Perseverance was key and he eventually caught the attention of the great Luciano Pavarotti who opened up the doors of the Opera world for Andrea, and till today he has never turned back. Did his disability hinder him from living the life he wanted? No. Golf runs through my family’s blood. My goal after high school was to earn a collegiate scholarship to play college golf. I told my goal to a lady I played golf with. She looked at me with a smirk and said, “You? Play college golf? I don’t know about that. With your score of 111, you definitely will have a hard time getting it unless you practice.” What she said stung in the beginning, but I took her negative words and used it as fuel to achieve my goal. Long story short, I earned that collegiate scholarship after working hard on my game for a year, became the team’s captain, earned SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, and played all 3 and ½ years of my college career. Did her words damper my goal? The answer is no.
“I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream.”
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
So to the kid or adult who was once told their dreams were unreachable, you stretch your arms up and reach for it with every ounce of will you have in you. To the kid or adult who was put to the side because people thought you were not good enough, you show them what it is to not be good, but to be greater beyond measure. To the kid or adult who was born into an unfortunate surrounding, you work your way up because you always have a choice to do things right in your books. To the kid or adult who stood outside the window staring at the item you wanted but never had the means to get it, you put in the grind to save up and one day earn that sweet taste of achievement. Do not, and I say it with the utmost honesty, do not let anyone say you can’t do anything. The phrase, “The world is your oyster” is a saying we should keep as a reminder to never doubt your dreams and vision of building something great for yourself, even if someone says it is the most ridiculous thing they have ever heard. Dreams are not meant to be shattered or ridiculed. Dreams are the fuel and fertilizer we need to grow our tree of life, to bear the fruits of love and hope. Dreamers are the ones who design the innovations and creations we see today. They were not afraid to pursue their aspirations and plant the good seed to create a bigger and better tree of life not only for them, but for the rest of the world. Like my mother would say, “Always aim for A. If you miss it, a B is fine. It is better than getting a D if you aim for C.” Inventors, doctors, teachers, athletes, and many other aspirations, are role models who provide the spark a kid or adult needs to say, “Hey, if they can do it, I can do it too.” So what are you waiting for? Get out there and go do it.
World Footprint 
_(16779635693).jpg){kind=link}