Once there was a little boy who thought he could fly. There was nothing that could stop the creative dream that catching a breeze, and flying high in the sky was possible. The feeling of flight was something that was real, at least it was for him. If only the slightest amount of airborne lift without additional means to achieve, if only it was something more than a dream. Understanding this was an impossibility, was not part of his thinking, and therefore the dream was a bigger real than reality itself.

The boy dreamed, and in his dreams flight was incredible, and what a wonderful feeling it was. In these dreams flight was not only possible, but frequent, and allowing the freedom to boundlessly soar at will became something that this boy held onto, dearly.

Days, weeks, and years passed, and flying for this young man became less frequent. What was happening could not be explained, at least in his dream world. But one day, seen in the eyes of children much younger than he, this man realized that imagination was the key. Beyond what is said to be real, the far reaching goals, no matter how impossible they may seem are real for the mind. They are real for the person who holds on to the dream.

Dreams will always be dreams if they are never allowed to change and transform into something tangible. A teachers hope in the academic life of a student is that each student realize his or her dreams, and that the impossibility spoken by some is viewed as none other than a dream never realized by a desiring soul.

Your goals and ambitions are, at this point in your lives, dreams. But know that with determination and hope, and faith, your dreams will take you places you never could even imagine. Far beyond the reaches of your creative mind, you will learn to see things from a different perspective, and come to understand that everything you ever dreamed of is actually within your reach. However, you are required to first believe that ‘it’, whatever it is, is possible.

I still hold on to that dream of flying. And know that one day, a long time from now, I will live to experience that reality. Fly boys and girls. Experience the freedom that is wrapped in education so that one day, a long time from now, you can say, ‘I remember when…’ and that dream will have become a reality. My dream for you, as my students, is that one day, you too will live to fully experience your dreams and Fly!

Mr. Petris 🙂