A mother's letter on dreams

Before you read. Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam said a dream is not what you see in your sleep; it is what does not let you sleep. Keep that in mind as you read this letter.

The letter. It comes from My Daughter, My Friend, in which Irene Chua writes to her teenage daughter, Ming. Dated 19 June 1995, it begins: By all means follow that dream.

What makes people great is the effort and sacrifice they put in to realise their dream. Reaching world-class standard in any field takes about ten years of focused, intense work.

Her method, in steps:

• it starts with passion for an interest;
• then comes conviction: a strong belief that the dream must be realised;
• count the cost: the years, the money, the sacrifice;
• if it still burns in your blood, plunge in.

The road is mostly uphill. Doing what you love, and knowing it is right, keeps you going; when your energy runs low, the hope of success keeps you on track.

A winner is never alone. At award ceremonies, every winner thanks a long list of people: behind every winner is a support network.

Why some dreams stay wishes. Some people choose security instead. For others, circumstances change their lives: the Japanese invasion in the Second World War ended some people's hopes of studying at Raffles College (now the National University of Singapore); others left school to work and support their siblings.

Dreams can change. Life itself can change a dream, and the new hopes are no less than the dreams of youth, though they take longer and need more people. Her own dream of the last ten years, publishing this book, was not her youthful one. She hopes at least one of Ming's dreams comes true.