The Dream Giver
Symposium this week was a little different than the past symposiums. Julie led Becca and I in a discussion over a book entitled “The Dream Giver”. The book follows the journey of the character “ordinary” and his big dreams, yet he faces “border bullies” and “Wasteland”, while also receiving support from “border buddies” and “border busters” to end up in “the Land of Promise”. Each of these analogies refer to various obstacles and types of people we may encounter on our own journey to pursue our dreams. This topic was quite appropriate for both Becca and I at this point in our lives. Having both had the dream to be in California and making the giant leap to move out here for this internship, we are familiar with the ups and downs of having big dreams and the many obstacles we may encounter. The book mentions “border bullies”, which refer to people in your life that may not be supportive of your dreams and can demonstrate their issues in various ways. Whether they feel threatened, they find problems in everything, or they fear losing control, it is important to understand your “border bullies” and why they may be feeling the way they do. However, it is equally important to recognize your “border buddies” and “border busters”, which are your champions; they support you, encourage you, and do what they can to help you pursue your dream.
While discussing this book, reflecting and applying it to my own life, it helped me realize how far I have already come in my journey of dreams. The step to come out to California alone was a risk, but with the support of my “border buddies” and “border busters”, I made it. The path that directed me this far in life has not been without trials and complications, but I am proud of where it has led me. I am happy at this point in my life, things are looking up, and I am excited for the next adventure that lies ahead. Not to say the journey is over, because as we learned in the discussion, the bigger your dreams, the longer the preparation and tougher the journey may be. And I am a big dreamer!
-Tara
