Does your mind still have room for dreams? Or is it clouded with the concerns of risk?
Congratulations to everyone involved with Riverfest, particularly the person(s) who dreamt of the concept and dared to push for it. Also, congratulations to the Acton’s who dreamt of building Australia’s finest horse sports facility and doing it. No doubt the Paradise Lagoons Campdraft this weekend will be another huge success and a winner for the region.
Perhaps viewed on a smaller scale of dreams are those of the performers in Emmaus College production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Also on this weekend, the dreams of the performers may not be as grandiose but to say stuff the risk of what my friends might say and what may actually happen when the spotlight is turned onto me in front of a packed house congratulations for not permitting risk to fully cloud your mind.
There is risk with nearly everything we do, even just being one of twelve brothers who dreams of bigger things, in the case of Joseph.
Society generally reinforces the risk argument by downplaying dreams; it won’t happen here, they’ll grow out of it, wait till he hits the first hurdle, etc. Only have to recall the comments received when I first mentioned former Rockhamptonite, John Moody’s dream to launch satellites from Rockhampton. As may prove fortunate for the region’s economy, despite the knockers, John is still pushing ahead with this game changer project.
Luckily, not only for Rockhampton but Queensland, was the dream of 2 former high school students to play NRL and State of Origin. Risk concerns of how only very few make it, what happens if you get seriously injured, you’re too small/old were either ignored or put to the side.
Society looses so much in believing we do the right thing telling others how hard it is to achieve dreams and it is far better to take the safe option. Imagine if Federer was continually ridiculed about his ‘big’ childhood dreams.
Regions in Australia can’t afford this loss. Be it the loss of talent as they move to places that encourage dreams to be realised or the dream just being squashed. Regions miss out on so much now. We can argue it is because there are more votes in the capital cities, but it is our attitude too.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat is about dreams and encouraging one to chase them. ‘Go Go, Go Joseph’; a prisoner becoming the 2nd most powerful person in Egypt.
Congratulations to the schools who put on musical productions, it is a sphere where many of the students involved step outside their personal safe zone, but the school does too. There are risks, particularly financial, but to give students an opportunity to experiment with their individual creative flair, not suppress it, which is often the result of a military inherited education system, is a risk. One that can deliver tremendous rewards though, present and future, and thus needs to encouraged at so many levels.
Packed houses at each of their performances is one way to encourage dreams to be lived.
Is it better to regret what you did than what you didn’t do?