Here comes the Dreamer
As the philosopher Carl Sandburg said, “nothing happens, but first a dream”, ‘Dreaming after all is a form of planning’ and great men whose dreams are an index of their genius make plans of grand vision and vast extent. They knew well that ‘if you can dream it, you can do it’. As the scripture says “…young men shall see visions and…old men shall dream dreams.” Which I take it that those who can turn their dreams into a vision will always remain young.
One person, who was born in 1815 and died in 1888 in the quiet hinterland of bustling Industrial town of Turin in Italy, is still alive in the hearts of millions of young people all over the world. He is the inspiration behind a vast educational movement and bands of men and women dedicated to fan that inspiration. He is St. John Bosco, popularly known as Don Bosco all across the globe. He is the quintessential dreamer, who followed up his dreams with visions and thus changed lives and continues to do so even today from Anchorage to Zandau, from Andean out backs to Shillong plateaus. God gave Don Bosco a heart as immense as the sands on the sea shore, so that he could dream as big as the ‘big Sur’- the ocean, itself.
This great man, the saint of God, the great educationist, the dreamer is coming to Shillong. His coming will be, as the Jews term it, the “HATAVAT HALOM - making the dream come good for his children and friends.
For, the purpose of the dream is to connect people, across time and terrain, across clime and cultures. “We dream so we don’t have to be apart so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams, we can play together all night” –Bill Watterson
From the coming June 3rd to 8th Don Bosco’s mortal remains will be in Khasi hills as part of world wide tour that will culminate in his 2nd century of birth celebrations in the year 2015. Don Bosco comes to connect with his friends.
What is a friend? A single soul shared by two people – or people who dream together with you.
We are calling all the friends of Don Bosco to dream on and turn the dream into vision for the young of our nation.
‘The invariable mark of a dream is to see it comes true’ we have the obligation to carry the dream of this great father and friend of the young people to its ultimate end. Don Bosco comes to remind his sons and daughters, friends and well wishers, about the dream that must become a vision and a source of many happy happenings. He will urge us to ‘go confidently in the direction of our dreams and live a life as we imagine it should be’.
We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter's evening. Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nurse them through bad days till they bring them to the sunshine and light, which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true.- Woodrow Wilson
So Don Bosco would say to all his friends ‘believe in your dreams’
The presence of the Salesian Fathers, brothers and sisters began with a dream that Don Bosco had. The dream of Salesian presence from Valpariso in South America stretching to Beijing in China passing through various countries of Africa, cutting across the Arabian sea to India touching Kolkata, the India’s North eastern states and culminating in Beijing.
Don Bosco wanted to be a missionary, but God wanted him to dream about the missions and prepare his sons and daughters for that task everywhere. He could not accompany them while he lived, but now the dreamer comes to touch and sanctify every mission land his sons and daughters lovingly gathered for God.
Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.- Harriet Tubman
We are reminded how important it is to dream the’ impossible dream’ from “the Man from La Mancha”- Don Quixote
To dream the impossible dream….to bear with unbearable sorrow…to run where the brave dare not go….to right the unrightable wrong….to love pure ….To try when your arms are too weary…To reach the unreachable star….
This is my quest, to follow that star….No matter how hopeless, no matter how far, to fight for the right, without question or pause….to be willing to march into hell, for a Heavenly cause.
Go Leap for the Stars!!! Don Bosco’s dream for us would not be for any thing less than that!!!
