The Courage to “Be”

“The world lies in the hands

of those who have the courage to dream

and who take the risk of living out their dreams

-each according to his or her own talent.”

- Paulo Coelho, The Valkyries

I want to dedicate this piece to You.  The You who is both body and soul, but more importantly soul—the You who encompasses a true, unique gift that maybe no one recognizes or understands; the creative You, undoubtedly a spring of knowledge, ideas, perceptions and visions—that could benefit everyone and anyone.  And above all, the You who is forced to keep silent when there’s a lot to say—this is dedicated to the Unheard.

In this money-oriented world we live in, everything seems to revolve around the big bucks—but honestly, do you truly believe that a piece of paper with a few scribbles, changing from country to another, could be the source of your ultimate, timeless happiness?  Because, honestly speaking, what is this “thing” that people always encourage you to pursue?  Literally speaking, a pound, a dollar, a yen or any currency is basically the same—a small, rectangular piece of paper.  Paper!  And I’m sure you know that you’re worth a lot more than scrap.  

Take a look around you—closely analyze the lives of your friends and family, who probably all have well-paying jobs.  How many of them can you call “happy?”  I understand that it’s an extremely wide, and overused, term.  Nonetheless, how many of them aren’t filled with grudges and disharmony because of their daily routines?  I’m more than certain that only one or two of them chose their current occupation because it’s what they’ve always dreamed of doing.  Most of them are doing it for the cash.  And, please excuse my language, I find it quite pathetic.  It saddens me that so many people, who are filled with enormous potential to excel in many fields, resort to certain jobs because of the paycheck they so proudly tuck away in their pockets every month.  

Speaking from experience, I know a doctor who gave up his practice to pursue his true passion—landscaping.  This incredible man excelled tremendously in his job—and eventually, the money started flowing in, more so than ever!  His decision was undoubtedly frowned upon by his colleagues, but now, more than a decade later, he’s happier than ever—which gives you something to think about.  

I know about a handful of people who would make excellent painters, sculptors, writers and actors—but sadly enough, due to pressures and constraints, they were forced to study Business, Engineering or Medicine—how do you think they did?  Some of them did ok…some actually did really well as a result of torturously long hours of studying…and others simply failed—in the traditional sense.  In my opinion, they all failed—because they went against their nature.  Even if our ultimate goal is “happiness,” “satisfaction,” or “success,” the most important aspect of our existence is to harmonize ourselves; and believe me, you will never attain harmony unless you allow your spirit to grow, evolve and express itself.  No matter how many Jimmy Choo heels or Gucci bags you own, even if you’re driving the newest Mercedes or if you live in a mansion with its own private lake, you’ll never be truly happy if you’re not fulfilling your personal destiny.  

I’m not suggesting that you throw away your whole life, and I’m definitely not attacking any business-related jobs—because if may just be the right nourishment for your soul.  As I mentioned earlier, this article is dedicated to the Unheard—those of you who are aware of their nature and who realize that as the days go by, they’re only moving farther away from it.  Remember, there’s nothing wrong with having different interests than almost everyone around you…because they probably do but don’t realize it yet; maybe they’re simply lazy or too scared to go against the “right” targets that people think they should aim at.  If you feel trapped in this prison called the “they,” maybe it’s about time you broke out of your shackles—and wherever your soul will guide you, success, happiness, satisfaction, and most importantly harmony, will surely follow.