Reach For The Stars

I was sitting in a chair reading a newspaper when the bell rang. I lazily walked up to the door and opened it. A young man in fashionable jeans and a Polo t-shirt smiled at me and asked me if I remembered him. I looked at him keenly and saw the familiar eyes and toothy smile."You are Raghu aren't you?", I asked. "Yes", he said with a broad smile. The twinkle in his eyes took me ten years back when a barefooted boy with a torn shirt and worn-out trousers and a school bag on his back first came to my house with his mother, our housemaid. Today, the same boy has grown into a handsome young man.

I invited Raghu inside and offered him a seat and a cup of coffee. During the course of our conversation, Raghu told me that he was soon to be posted as the Collector of our district after clearing the Civil service examination and the training. I rose from my seat and hugged him.

I recalled how, as a young lad of 15, he used to sit in the corner in our house and prepare for his exams while his mother Laxmi washed vessels in our house. "Raghu's father had left us when Raghu was one-year-old. I have taken care of my only son since then. And my son always speaks of becoming a Collector," Laxmi used to murmur."Without proper roof and power connection, I don't understand how he dreams like this. May my goddess Bhavani give him strength" she added wiping her tears.

Raghu looked at me and smiled: "I want to become a Collector, uncle. I want to give my mother a comfortable life. I know it is a lofty dream. But I will work hard and make it happen, he said and continued to pour over his books.

The boy's determination moved my heart. I told him to dream big and at the same time work hard."Life's achievements are mostly a result of dedication to dreams. Dreams don't just come to pass overnight, they are usually a continuous and persistent effort made towards a plan", I told him.

Raghu stood first in his school in both his 10th and 12th board exams. To supplement the household income, he started taking tuition for school students. Soon after, I was transferred to another city and lost touch with Raghu and his mother.

Today, as I stand in front of the soon-to-be Collector of our district, my happiness knows no bounds. His dream and dedication have made him what he is today.