Dear John

 

Dear John,

This is another “Once Upon a Time” story, and it starts like this . . . .

Once upon a time there was this young boy named John. John was about 5 years of age and full of vigor and dreams. He was a happy boy as are most youth his age. No cares, no worries, no responsibilities and an imagination that knew no end. John like most children are to this day was very astute and aware of the world around him. Our Children do not see the world the same as we older humans. Where we see task, they see challenges; where we are puzzled about things, they have the magical wonder of discovery. We see time as a limiting factor, and they do as well, but they strive to do all that they can accomplish with that which they have to work with . . . sadly so, we have learned of such things as 'prioritization and procrastination'.

John's parents were like most parents, who see the beauty of their child's soul and the wonder it brings into their own lives just to be in their company. Yes, children are truly a blessing. Being a child is even better. As i said earlier, John had quite an imagination, as do most children. The visions he concocted and shared with is Parents and friends quite often sparked their wonder as well. His parents and other elders found John's sharings amusing to say the least. Some times, when they had time, they too would ”let go” and indulge in John's fantasies such as Flying to the Moon, Traveling across the Country, Climbing Mountains, Swimming across the Oceans and other such things that were beyond the reason of “Adults”.

As John grew older and began to attend school, he began to learn such things as rules and the value of time and tasks. He learned that it was not always so good to dream, according to his Teachers and his parents as well. This did not bother John much, for John was a good boy and always his heart found a certain joy in pleasing others. Now most of his Dream time came after his homework was completed and during his 'sleep' time. John remembered most of his dreams, and often tried to share them with his Mother and Father in the mornings, however, it was not that they were not interested, but they just did not have the time with all that needed to be done, such as Breakfast, getting ready for School and Work. Still John did not stop dreaming.

As time went on, John began sharing his dreams in school with his friends and classmates. Quite often his imaginings were ridiculed by his peers and refuted as silly by the teachers as not being very realistic. One time the teacher even sent John to the School Counselor who asked him a lot of questions about his thoughts. John did not understand much of what she was saying, but he was more than happy to have the opportunity to share with someone. Some time later in the school year John's class was reassigned. His parents did not seem too happy about this and visited the school on many occasions to speak with the Teachers and Counselor, but nothing changed. In John's new class there was not much sharing to be done. The Children there all seemed lost in their own little world and were not very sociable. This was the way it was through most of John's Schooling. John did not have very many friends, and his parents were very accommodating, patient and loving, but they had many rules for John about his dreams. John often stayed to him self, and no longer shared his thoughts with others.

As the years went by, John had surrendered most of his early childhood dreams, because he was told and explained to about how unreasonable they were, and he believed. But, there was one dream John refused to give up. Yes John still had a penchant to travel across the country.

John in his very early twenties had a job where he was able to save money. He still lived at home with his parents.

One day John spoke to his Mother about this lingering Dream of travel. Mom smiled and began to tell John about her dreams she had long given up. She told John of her fears, doubts and worries. She spoke about her Mother and how she rebuked her dreams as nonsense and childish. A tear came to her eye, when she realized that she had given to her Son, her only child the same 'gift' her parents had given to her . . . the gift of a “world” without magic. Upon this realization, later that night she spoke with John's Father about the discussion her and John had earlier that evening. After a forthright and honest disclosure, John's Father too realized that he too contributed greatly to the thwarting of their beloved's Son's Dreams and thus his life. With that they decided to sit and write John a simple letter, and it went like this . . . .

Dear John . . .

Don't ever give up on your Dreams, for it is Dreamers who shape the world of possibilities of us common people.

With all our love

Mom and Dad