Who are you, and what is your dream?

We had the privilege of hearing, no, not just hearing, but experiencing, Bryce Courtenay share at Spikes 2010.

The message I got from him is...

Life is not about what you have. It's not about your car, condo, credit cards, etc.
Life is about what you do, who you are, and what your dream is.

When we are young, we have incredible dreams. Then our Parents, Teachers, Peers come and steal them away. They tell us it is not sensible, it won't sustain us, it is ridiculous, ... they are our Dream Stealers. They steal away our imagination, and all that we are left with,... is a career.

Bryce was an orphan who grew up in an abusive orphanage. Ironically, he said he was lucky he didn't have parents to steal his dream away. His dream is to be a storyteller. After a successful career in advertising, he finally retired and became an author. If he can make his dream come true, all of us can too. It may be a long, hard struggle and we'll get kicked in the ass many times, fall again and again, but if we don't give up, we can make our dream come true.

This may not be a revelation, but the energy and passion with which he shared his own journey was amazing. I was engrossed, spellbound, could not move, could not even blink. His energy was enmeshed with mine, creating a new openness, a new channel of healing within me.

I haven't read his book 'The Power Of One' but after meeting him, I must find it.

At Spikes, he took us all by surprise. He carried us away with him on an incredible journey. He made us laugh, he made some of us cry. He left all of us in deep thought, searching ourselves, wondering what is our defining dream...

Thank you Bryce Courtenay, you are the living personification of this quote by Marianne Williamson...

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

To read Bryce Courtenay's profile, click on the title of this post.