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by Farid Firmanysah, 19, Canada
It happened four years ago when I was in Indonesia. Like usual, I had to live my ordinary life: wake up in the morning, eat my breakfast, go to school, get my dinner, sleep, and wake up at the usual time again.

Also, I lived in difficult circumstances where my mum just left us (she took my little sister), my big brother was still at a drug rehabilitation place, and my dad was stressed (he has to go to the stress therapy at least 2 times a week).

Can you imagine that?

One morning I woke up at the usual time and I felt there was something missing in my life. Instead of eating my breakfast, I was thinking what the “thing” was disturbing my thoughts. Day after day I kept searching and finally I GOT it: I wanted study overseas in Vancouver.

To study overseas I needed a lot of money because I’m an international student, and I do not come from a rich family. Without asking my dad whether I could study overseas or not, I already knew what the answer was: it’s impossible. It isn’t about my dad not wanting to let me go; it is because my family couldn’t afford to spend that much money.

As time went by, I tried to forget my dreams. I was thinking, perhaps my dream is too big for my family and me or had I just made it all up? However, I realized that I would never be happy unless I could pursue it.

From that day, I worked hard on my plan to begin my dream. I made hard choices. I made difficult changes. I even made big sacrifices.

Time passed and finally, I made it.

When I was 16, I moved to Vancouver. I’m now in 12th grade and will be graduating in May 2007.

I believe in the power of dreams and I want to tell everybody – especially young people – that every person on earth was born with a dream in their life. Don’t ever think that you can’t reach your dream, that you are too late to catch it, or even your dream is bigger than your capacities.

Everything is possible. Impossible is nothing and impossible is only for losers. If I could make it, why can’t you?

Anyway, this is my poem that I just made after I wrote I Believe essay. I hope, through my poem and essay, that everybody will make their dreams come true and their lives will never be same again.

RADICAL

Life is a series of choices
And destiny is a series of decisions
At times I feel weary but I’d never step back
Run faster, jump further and soar higher
Life is short, why take it for granted?
Life is beautiful, why don’t you colour it
With meaningful things?

In my body,
There is a brave heart
I don’t care if they call me crazy
Only crazy people will go to heaven
I don care if they leave me
One by one….
‘coz I know I’ll never be alone

Everything in this world
Happens for a reason
Everything was planned
the Creator
Believe that you ARE
More than a conqueror
“let’s make life more alive”

There is nothing too hard to reach
Because you have
The power walking with you
Realize that you CAN go
Beyond your comfort zone
There’s nothing you can’t do
“Let’s make life more alive!”

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