I have a dream. We all have dreams. I want to be a fireman who puts out fiery blazes and rescue the lives of many. I want to be an astronaut who goes on spacewalks and challenges the frontier of space. I want to be a teacher who imparts knowledge and groom the next generation. My dream is a simple one. I want to be an educator who makes a difference in the lives of children. When we were young, our parents used to tell us to have mighty ambitions and lofty aspirations. “Dream big, aim for the stars, and you’ll thank us when you get there.”

But as I was growing up, I realized what a load of bullocks that was. Every so often, parents try to influence their children’s thinking and push them towards a particular direction. Dreams stand for nothing. Time and again, our undesirable pursuits have been put down because our parents want us to take a well-tried route that has already been planned forth. It is hard for them to come to terms favourably with things that do not go their way. Hence, when push comes to shove, we might eventually be led down a path of regrets.

Undeniably, expectations tend to snuff out dreams when there is a conflict of interest. And more often than not, children are coerced into forsaking their aspirations to fulfil their parents’. Though we ought to be respectful of our parents’ opinions, we should not be swayed into throwing in the towel. Dreams are what make life tolerable. But by conceding to parental pressure, we are setting ourselves up for a lifetime of misery. In such circumstances, there can only be one victor between dreams and expectations. And I have chosen mine.