DREAM-STEALERS
Years ago, I heard Pastor Anthony Mangun tell a story at Because of the Times that I have never forgotten. . . .
The story is told of a young man by the name of Monty, who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer, who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result the boy's high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about when he wanted to be and do when he grew up.
That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing the goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000 square foot house that would sit on the 200-acre dream ranch.
He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, "See me after class."
The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, "Why did I receive an F?"
The teacher said, "This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you will have to pay large stud fees. There is no way that you could ever do that." Then she handed the paper back to him. "If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade."
Monty went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father told him, "Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you."
After sitting and thinking for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He stated, "You can keep the F and I'll keep my dream."
The boy with a dream became a man and his dream became reality. A few years ago, Monty told the story in the living room of his 4,000 square foot house in the middle of the 200 acre horse ranch. The paper that he wrote had been framed and hung over the mantle of the fireplace. He related that two summers ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on the ranch. When the teacher was leaving, he told Monty, "In years past, I have been somewhat of a dream stealer. During those years, I took kids dreams. Fortunately, you did not give up on yours." Don't let anyone steal your dreams, no matter what.
(From a sermon by Philip Harrelson, Crashing Through, 8/4/2010)