Realizing our dreams

Before Rotaract Club of Port Klang Centennial was chartered, we (a small group of former Hin Hua students) unofficially formed a group call D. B. D. F. (Dreams, Bonds, Directions and Fellowship).

Being an unofficial gathering, we did not have a comprehensive program or detailed planning with regard to our activities. Nevertheless, we did have a relatively healthy organizational structure: we had the positions of chairman, secretary, treasurer etc.

Similar to Rotaract Club, we met every fortnight at a time and place convenient to everyone. When we met, we tried to figure out doing something constructive and productive that will help us in achieving our dreams (though most of us had none to start with).

Seeing that we could not chase our dream without first having a dream, i.e. putting the cart before the horse, we decided to do something fun and interesting (some may argue childish). We did something which normal young adult will not do. One fine morning, we brought newspapers, magazines, brochures, leaflets, drawing papers, crayon, scissors, glues, color pencils etc to Hin Hua canteen.

This was what we did: imagine ourselves in a not so distant future and ask these questions: What kind of lifestyle we want to live? What kind of house we want to live in? What kind of job we want to do? What kind of car we want to drive? etc

Then we cut out the picture of the house we want to live, the car we want to drive etc and pasted them on the drawing papers. After less then an hour, our dreams were physically “built”.

Well, you may say that was childish and unrealistic. To a certain extent, you may be right. But I am glad we did that exercise that morning. At least, now I could still remember how my drawing paper looked like and what were on it. I pasted a picture of a dog! I must have wanted a dog badly (and still is). One day, I will have a dog. This is my childhood dream.

I could still remember what was on Engtee’s drawing paper. She has a picture of a business woman sitting in a plane (business class) with a laptop. She told us that it was her dream to travel around for business wearing high heels and using laptop. Of course, she was not sure whether such a dream was indeed achievable.

That was years ago. We have moved on since then and in the process, we have forgotten about our dreams. We did not even keep that paper “dreams” of ours.

Yesterday, Engtee woke up very early – she had a mission. She was traveling to Suzhou for a business assignment. She will be there for 5 days. Being (or trying to be) a good husband, I decided to wake up early as well to walk her to the subway station, which is not very far from our apartment.

At the subway station, we hugged each good bye and she walked alone to the platform. I was standing there, observing her from behind. She held a laptop in one hand, and a travel suitcase in another. She wore high heels and a very elegant coat. She walked with confidence before disappeared into the crowd. Wasn’t this scene very familiar? Where have I seen it before?

Oh, it was the picture which Engtee cut and pasted on her paper “dream”! Without even knowing it, she was accidentally and slowly realizing her dreams. No wonder Engtee loves Shanghai more than I do.

It makes me think that coming to Shanghai may be a right move for her as well. If not, I guess she might just end up being another office lady in Klang, who doesn’t know her real potentials.