Dream on!

Somewhat still inspired by Mr Stephen Ooi's grand ambition, I've been thinking of the answers friends have generally given when I asked what was their aspiration when they were young.


"Chuang Tzu's Ampulets: J dreaming he is a security guard dreaming he is J"

Of all the lawyers, teachers and civil servant friends I've asked, none I think ever said that they, as children, had aspired to the lawyers, teachers and civil servants they are today. In fact, often after considering quite carefully my question, most folks say that they never really had an aspiration, an ambition or a dream of what they wanted to do or be when they were young. Grudgingly, a few might say 'doctor'. Most of the time, however, the conversation quickly switches to what they wished they could be now. Then laughingly, the honourable 'Tai-Tai' and 'househusband' would emerge as answers.

Maybe I should have rephrased the question. Aspirations are somehow large, daunting things. You feel you have to cite something really grand. If you must dream, dream big. Climb Mt Everest - thrice. Separate Siamese twins. Be the nation's president.

Perhaps I should have asked instead what they've often wondered about or pretended to be. That might lead in a more modest direction. For me, I've always pretended to be a bus driver, a seller of chwee kueh or some other kind of hawker, a dancer (in a vague way, even if I can't dance, nope), a writer, the voice/dubbing artiste for cartoons... Or in the case of J, I think he once told me he wished he IS a cartoon. Oh well.

I think I much prefer these small dreams - human-sized ones - odd-shaped ones - or even those so small and light they are impossible to hold and see.