Determination of Future

Determination of Future

      I believe that everyone has been assigned to write his/her hopes or dreams since elementary school. It happens often that a teacher could push you down from the bridge to the bottom of the river just with a pen. Only a few people will have the confidence to keep pursuing their goals.

      I have read a small story that describes how regretful an old American teacher was. It’s about 30 years ago, a teacher gave students an assignment “My Dreams.” Nick, one of the students, loved this topic as he could write down a lot about his big dream. He wrote about hoping to own a ranch where he will build a small resort, a barbeque area, plant a lot of trees, and beautiful flowers, so that he can share the nature with people. After reviewing their homework, the teacher gave Nick “E” grade because he thought it’s a daydream and unreal, and asked him to rewrite. The kid didn’t agree with him and tried to rebut, but it didn’t work.

       30 years later, when the teacher took the students for a picnic, he was shocked by the calling from the owner of the ranch. Yes, he was the kid with the teacher’s “E” grade. The teacher sighed and said regretfully, “In the past 30 years, I have changed so many kids’ lives by the grade, but you are the only one who was not changed and kept your dream.”

      Definitely, teachers play an important role in our life and they often influence our decisions, especially in my country, Taiwan. If Nick’s case happened in Taiwan, the result might be completely different. In our culture, we were taught to listen to the teachers and accept or follow teachers’ instructions/comments without doubts mostly. Thus, Nick’s life would have been changed by rewriting his dreams and being a “good student”. There wouldn’t be a ranch in his life.

      Yes, there will be some important people or factors inducing our determination in our life time, but we ought to remember that we, ourselves, are the one who will make the final decisions.

By Yuki 05/21/2009