By Nisandeh Neta
Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
His dream was manifested a year later when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act (1964), which abolished racial segregation and guaranteed blacks the right to vote.
In that same year, at age 35, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
We all have a dream. Or more accurately, we all had a dream.
I remember myself dreaming of being the best brain surgeon in the world, saving people - making a difference.
As children we are not preoccupied with what is possible, sensible or logical. We all dream of BIG things—becoming a world leader or an astronaut or a rock star. Saving the environment, achieving world peace and finding a cure for AIDS all seem possible in youthful eyes and hearts.
So what happens to those big dreams? We get bombarded with negative media and jaded adult advice: the problems are too great for one person to take on and “you can't fight city hall”. We are told that our dreams are too idealistic and that we should just “grow up”.
We start to believe that we can't make a difference. We begin to think it is easier to live a compromised, mediocre life, hoping that someone else makes a difference, while we sit on our ass and read about it.
But what would our world be like right now if no one ever chose to strive for their dreams and make a difference, against all odds and obstacles? People like Martin Luther King, Albert Einstein, Mohandas Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa...
You may look at these names and feel intimidated. You may think you have nothing in common with these “great” figures. They are “larger than life”.
Well, guess what? All of these people were (are) regular flesh and blood human beings who faced the same obstacles or much greater ones than you and I ever will.
What makes these people different from everyone else is COMMITMENT. Each one was committed to their dreams and visions; each was committed to themselves and to others.
American artist and illustrator Bernie Fuchs said “Commitment is a line you must cross…it is the difference between dreaming and doing.”
Now is the time to cross the line. It is time for action!
Find your dream again. Bring it out of the closet. Shake off the dust.
Think about when you first formed the dream. Feel the energy, excitement, enthusiasm and passion spilling out of you, calling you to action.
It doesn't have to be an overwhelming task. You don't have to save the world today or tomorrow! But you can make a beginning by helping one person, even if it is yourself.
Making a difference challenges you to think and act differently. At the age of 15, I became a vegetarian, determined not to kill anymore. Dare to be different!
Even if you start off on your own, you will soon have company. Making a difference is like throwing a pebble in a pool. The ripples spread from the centre to larger and larger circles of influence. But someone must drop the pebble. Why not you?
If you're still not convinced why you should make a difference, here are some good reasons:
- you will be challenged to fulfill your potential
- you will have new meaning to your life
- you will encourage others with their dreams so that they can make a difference too
- you will feel great about yourself!
If we all embrace our dreams and make just one small difference, this planet is bound to become a better place
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