What Keeps Us Going?

The other day I was wandering aimlessly on a crowded road. Hundreds of faces passed by, and since I knew none of them, these faces were nameless too for me. After watching the crowd for some time I started wondering what kept those people in the crowd (including myself)  and millions others like them going. Is it the work at the office or the factory? Or the chores at home? Is it the money in the bank accounts? Is it the property and other belongings? Or is it the near and dear ones?

After some introspection, I realised that work at the home, office or factory, bank balance, property, etc. are just the means to realize one's dreams. So, it's the dreams that keep us going. We keep doing things that we do every day, day after day, with the fond hope that we will realize our dreams some day.

So, a clerk in the office or a foreman on the shop floor dreams of becoming a manager, a young manager nurtures the ambition of becoming the CEO of the company, a political greenhorn aspires to be a corporator, an MLA wants to be the chief minister, an MP dreams of becoming a Prime Minister, a rap dancer wants to be next Prabhudeva, a painter dreams of becoming the next MF Husain or Anjolie Ila Menon, a 'gully' cricketer sees himself as the next Sachin Tendulkar, a budding singer wants to be tomorrow's Lata Mangeshkar or Mohammed Rafi, a junior artiste in the film industry dreams of making it big like Amitabh or Rajnikanth.

A slum-dweller may aspire to move into a flat, while a flat owner may want to buy that dream weekend home. A young girl may want to marry the boy of her dreams, or a newly-wed couple may dream of becoming proud parents of a cute little angel couple of years later. Young boys and girls may dream of making it into the IIMs, Harvard or Cambridge and a fresh MBA grad may expect to land a dream job. Millions of people, millions of dreams - because there is no limit to goals and no limit to dreaming. Some realize their dreams, some don't. Those whose dreams are fulfilled relish their success in life. But those who do not realize their dreams draw solace from the fact that they did give it a try, and their efforts and their struggle kept them going and made the journey worthwhile.