Yes DEAR: 20 - 24 July 2009 : Day dreaming

Ramu Das lived in his humble dwelling with his better half, Mrs. Das. Their only child dropped early out of school to help his father fill the family coffers. The Das family sustained from hand to mouth existence and gradually began to dream of a better life, of a wealthier life. Dreaming became so inherent in their bed every night that it continued in the morning. They would discuss their dream and the best won an extra chappati for dinner.

Day dreaming, night dreaming and more dreaming. Life revolved around dreaming and very little was worked upon achieving the dream. Towards achieving a little more wealth. To sweat from the brow and feed their cows.

Once Mr. Das said, I will start planting vegetables in our garden tomorrow. There will be all types of vegetables available in our vegetable garden. All our neighbours will come to us to buy vegetables. Then money will start pouring in and we will get rich. Inspired Mrs. Das added that I will cut vegetables and slice them too and charge a bit higher for the sliced vegetables.

Sooner said than done, Mr. Das took the spade and dug up the entire backyard. He unearthed the entire ground and stormed off to buy seeds for the vegetables, only to realize that he did not have any money to buy them. Sulking he sat in a corner and left rats and stray dogs find a home in the ruined backyard.

And so went on the dreaming paradise of the Das’s until one day a neighbour’s son Shyam who had returned from the city heard about the Das’s. Shocked by their life he wondered how to bring the Das’s out of their surreal world. He chanced upon them at the tea stall and worked his way to being invited home.

The thatched roof and the cow caked walls were not very welcoming, but Shyam battled the stench for he had come with a purpose. He realized what a simple life the Das’s had. That Mr. Das was far behind his peers who had all progressed. Mr. Das had spun into the laughing stock of the village with his dreaming feature characteristic and it had to stop.

Occupied in his thoughts, Mr. Shyam had barely spoken that Mr. and Mrs. Das began telling him about their dreams of getting rich. Soon they had a new dream, at that spur of the moment. Mr. Das said I could sell the milk of our cows, go door to door or directly to the village market and make money out of it. Everyday I will give my cows more to eat so they will give me more milk and I will reap more money. Then I can go give some milk to my sister said Mrs. Das. No you will not, said Mr. Das, I cannot let anyone have a share of my profits. I will break all the pots in the house so that you will not have any pot to carry milk to your sister. Saying this he began breaking all the pots, leaving terrified Shyam in the midst.

Instantly Shyam began beating the cows outside. What are you doing, said Mr. and Mrs. Das, why are you beating the cows. Well your cows will want more food to give more milk and they will eat my garden plants, so I am beating them up even before they can do that.

Then suddenly it dawned on the Das’s their critical mistake. No milk, yet the pots were broken. No milk, yet they were dreaming. They looked up to Shyam and said. May be god sent you, so that we learn a lesson for life. From that day on, day dreaming was shunned and hard work was plugged in.
Moral: Put your dreams into action.