does it though? Read on to know…
Growing up I had a time line. I was 15 or 16, I had the unnecessary confidence only a teen with had qualification of 10th graders can have. I wanted to be “independent”. By that I meant have my own house, a dog and a car by 30. Get married at 31.
10 year later my dreams moved a little higher up on the Maslow’s Hierarchy, sign of maturity appearing on the horizon. I wanted to set up Inclusive education centers and centers that facilitate equality, kindness and inclusion across genders, socio-economic groups etc.
Funnily enough, God decided to humor my 16 year old self’s dream!
I was 26 when I was living a house I could call mine (It was mine for all practical purposes, I was given a quarters in an amazing campus.) I had my own dog and I had by bike by 28, courtesy my parents. (Yes the rules were not clear on who would actually spend on it. SOPs and policies come in handy for such situations.)
I was enjoying living life by myself. I was independent, I was earning, making decisions on how long I would stay outside, where I would go, where I would spend, and how much I would spend. I was enjoying the good life. My parents were happy about their daughter working in a big hospital. I was not financially dependent on anyone. I loved my work and the people I worked with. I had a pretty stable life. Healthcare was taken care of. So all sorted. There was access to good looking handsome accomplished young men should I choose a life partner. I was quite prideful about achieving my dreams, But these were not the only dreams I had! Remember I showed some signs of maturity?
I turned 29, I got into a better position at work, moved to a bigger beautiful house. I had a routine, work, walk my dog in one of the nicest locations I’ve lived in, have good conversations with dear friends. Life couldn’t have gotten better. Now, parents were hoping I would find someone and “settle down”. The usual story of expectations and timelines of most humans I knew.
Meanwhile..
There was this nagging 25 year old self’s dreams. Like an annoying child that I didn’t want. Around 27, during a season of figuring out why I wasn’t absolutely feeling fulfilled, I remember reading this verse from the Bible that was planted in my thoughts and it would keep asking me, “what is your ministry?” The verse said:
But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:5 (NKJV)
Endure afflictions? What kind of afflictions? Depend on someone for my financial needs? My biggest fear is to depend on someone else financially! So while hoping that “my ministry” meant not raising funds for my home (I’m trying to get over it) I was really praying and hoping God would lead to the place to where I would do my best for his service, despite my critical opinions and my many weaknesses. I decided, Endure hardships! I will! Just need to find my Zone and be in it!
I tried to figure out what that might be. I tried to go for a youth ministry program in Germany, then in Bangalore, Then another program in the US. Nothing worked for some reason. The only thing that stayed with me and deeply disturbed me, were my experiences of working with U&I. The experiences of working with boys home, teaching the children in Vellore, the problems of parents of my patients, who wouldn’t be admitted to school because the system didn’t support children with special needs. These were the memories that would disturb me.
I wanted to make a change. I’m no educator or a psychologist or a policy maker to do anything about it. All I knew was I had a dream and I will take and chance to make it happen. Surprisingly after few years of figuring out what “my ministry” is. Instagram came to rescue and in the middle of COVID-19 I applied to a social entrepreneurship program.
5 months into it, I got placed in a project that would make me develop a curriculum which can foster holistic growth in the students. I get to play a big part in defining what holistic development would look like! For an entire community! All in the middle of lockdown! I studied and got placed in a project! I know, this is a very different story of 2020! It’s a story of dreams come true and going to college when no college was open!
A year ago, I was low-key tearing up while watching the play “Joseph’s amazing technicolor dream coat” put up by the ever talented CMC bunch. the children’s choir and the cast singing “Any dream will do” felt like God himself was whispering in my ear, (very musically), I have a dream and that will do.
Cos dreams come true!
So the answer is.. Yes! Any dream will do! So dream away Queens!! And Kings!!