April
2009
Have You “Dreamed a Dreamed”?2
Unless you have been a victim of technology gone bonkers this week, by now you’ve heard of Susan Boyle. Her moment to shine on the TV show “Britian’s Got Talent” started out as a moment of humiliation. As you watched, you probably noticed that the audience and judges had written her off before she performed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY&NR=1
I wondered why a friend sent this to me, as I can’t stand to witness overt cruelty to others. Then the clip turned to magic, as she opened her mouth and sang “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables. Watching that video brought tears to our eyes, since we were witnessing someone’s dream come true in a matter of minutes. The odds were against her during her first few moments on stage until she began to sing. Susan has an incredible gift that has been hidden from the world. Listening to her sing was such a blessing. Yes, I loved her voice and the song, ironically, touched on the actual reality.
Why did her brief few minutes on stage capture our attention? I’ll take a stab at it based on what I’ve learned through coaching and working with students in special education.
1. Susan was judged based on her looks. She didn’t look like a singer and her manner was definitely not that of a beloved diva.
Yet, we were all proved wrong. This is a huge breakthrough in thinking for all of us. The audience, judges and viewers were wrong in their initial assessment and so were we. The U.S.A. has lived with the thought that our lives enjoying the world’s riches and pleasures would go on forever. This was wrong. Thinking without reflection and coming to an initial judgment is very likely wrong. We thought we knew the truth about Susan, but this time were given a wonderful gratifying surprising performance. This was an example of the fact that being wrong yielded a huge win.
2. The other huge lesson for us is that your dream, their dream, his dream, her dream and my dream is always possible. Your dream was planted in your heart and soul for a reason. If you buried your dreams long ago, now is the time to dig up your precious treasure. You may bless 1000’s or just one person by turning your dream into a reality. It’s never to late to make a dream come true.
3. During interviews with U.S. news programs, Susan was asked how she got through it. I wondered the same thing. Don’t you think that it would be hard to keep from botching your shot at fame, if you felt the audience was laughing at you?
She explained that she concentrated on the song. We can generalize this to our dreams. No matter what others tell you, stay focused on your dream/dreams. Maybe the initial dream is a cover for your actual life dream. The bottom line is most of us are born with gifts that may never see the light of day. Someone may have told you that your dream was “stupid” or “You don’t have the skills to do that”. The easy path is to forget about your passion and dream. However, that idea, dream, thought appealed to you for some reason. No one has the right to steal your dream or to force you to bury it.
4. A dream worth having won’t happen overnight. Susan Boyle is in her late 40’s and gave much of her life caring for her Mother. However, she decided that it was never too late and finally had the chance to realize her dream. Now, she is an overnight sensation. Maybe your dream or my dream won’t yield the same results. However, if your dreams nourish your soul and lead to a joy in your heart, you deserve the opportunity to make your dream/s come true.
I’ve seen it happen in my special education classroom and through my coaching clients. Go for it. Dust the cobwebs off your dream and determine a starting point to make it a reality.
What’s your dream? My dream is to be a writer and I’m making it happen one blog entry at a time. 
Blessings,
Mary Ann