Dreams

This morning, while listening to some radio channel, I came across this story. I don't really remember every exact details so I will just summarise the story based on what I can recall.

The story is about a man born in a family with a long military history. As such, his childhood dream was to become a general. He studied hard in the military school and had always came out as the top soldier among his peers. He was then selected to be an instructor and his excellent performance had earned him quick promotions and he rose up in the ranks in a short period of time. However, he was later posted to overseas and chances of advancing in his rank seems minimal. He did not give up though, and continue to give his best in whatever he does and was finally posted back to his country after a few years. Not long after that, his wife suggested that he leave the military and start up a business. Being a wealthy family with wide connections, it is actually pretty easy to have a stable business and lead a more stable life with no worries. However, he did not give up his dream and choose to remain in the army and his wife soon left him as he was often not around at home. After another few years, he was offered a post by the military. He knew that if he took up the offer, his position will forever be stuck there and his dream of becoming general would be dashed, but if he rejected, he might be seen as not being loyal to the country since he refuse to accept the posting orders by the military. After much consideration, he decided to reject and he eventually become a general at the age of 50, being the youngest general in history.

To be honest, I do not like this story. Despite it being a motivational story of being able to continue advancing and overcome any setbacks or obstacles, I still do not approve of the way this message is imparted through the story. Well, he did reach his dream after all the difficulties he faced in his life, but at the age of 50? What else can he do after that? What is left for him to pursue in his life? Having his family lost for the sake of his dream, where can he find the happiness he deserved after all this? Who will be there to share his joy with him? To put it bluntly, he is nothing more than an empty shell after he had reached his dream. There is no road ahead of him and neither is there a home behind him...he is just a lost soul that has no place to go in the end, and that temporary happiness of achieving his goal will soon turn to bitter hollowness and lonliness. He had spent 50 years of his life chasing that dream without even stopping to take a look at the flowers along the road, and now that he reach the end of the road, what awaits him is only illness and eventually death, not to mention that there will be no one by his side to accompany him for the rest of the years.

If that is the price to pay for fulfilling that dream of his, is it even worth it? There are many chances for him throughout the story, he could have find some way to settle overseas during his posting there and do his fair share of his job while finding ways to enjoy life, he could have listened to his wife back then and start of a business of his own and live a stable life happily with his family, he could have take up the posting offered by his country and focus on finding happiness for the rest of his life while he's still young.

Anyway, I am just stating my opinion la, haha...others might have views on their own so it's really up to you what you think. Overall the spirit of not giving up and overcoming any setbacks is good la, just that you must consider whether the thing that you are pursuing is worth giving up everything. Hmmm...come to think of it, quite the irony isn't it? The guy in the story never gives up, but on ther other hand, he "give up" everything he deserved to have.

Well, enough of that, haha. I've done up another 3 chinese songs recently and here are the links. Thank you to those who have been listening to these songs and giving me advices...I know that I am still far from perfection but your advices will be a great help. Arigatou na!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBg-LytK4gw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuRBdgZp_vs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhx3j4nC-FU