So Why Dream?

“Don't stop chasing your dreams, because dreams do come true.”

- Sachin Tendulkar

And how many don’t?

According to the traditional Indian norms, every child born is given a name by their parents based on some great personality, some God, something holy with a dream that he will justify the name when he grows old. He is raised with love, care and a hope that he is brought to this world to make it even more beautiful. It is not easy. For nine months, the mother bears him in her womb, undergoes extreme pain and gives him birth, the father toils hard in the field, under the wrath of the hot sun- a little more effort, a little more sacrifice and our dream will come true. And then one day, they see a news channel flashing about the death of his child.

People are ambitious. People have dreams- once, I will become a millionaire, I will run my own firm, I will bring the world an innovative gift in the future. They work hard. Study hard. Get a job and work till late hours. And then after a satisfied day, one inch closer to their long term goal, travel home. And get raped. Scarred for life.

So why dream? Won’t the burden of carrying your dead son’s corpse be lighter if you didn’t dream? Won’t the brutalities and mental torture be less severe had you stayed at home, and not worked so hard? Has one thought how many Sachin Tendulkars’ and Indra Nooyis’ dreams in the making were broken abruptly? What is the point, truly, to have these growth rates and numbers, GDPs and revenues, pride and honour, if one can’t protect innocence and avoid wrong?

And what’s your fault, anyway? Going to school? Working hard to raise your child? Becoming self-dependent, and chasing your goals? Dreaming? Why? To see them shattered? Don’t.

PS: Context:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30491435
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/delhi-uber-cab-rape-case/article6675680.ece
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Delhi_gang_rape