“Oh no! Once again, you are lost in your deep thoughts and are worried about failing. Have courage and never lose hope and expectations from the heart. I told you that you are not alone at all rather I am always present to accompany you for fulfilling your desires. There is nothing to be worried about, dear. Just believe me and I promise I will not leave you alone until you reach your destination. Just keep moving forward,” he said with a warm smile on his face. “No. It’s a really tough task and is quite impossible to move on. You’re already in the same boat as me and belonged to a poor family. How will you support me?” Nadir replied. “I can and I will. But please don’t pull down your hopes for a mere frustration in your life. Never be hopeless rather have the strength to face the challenges and overcome them for acquiring success which supports you to live a peaceful life,” the man tried to convince Nadir. And then Nadir woke up from this very disturbing dream. When he awoke, it took him a while to adjust to the surroundings as he half expected to see the same man beside him. But all he saw were piles of books and then he realised how he had dozed off in his study room. It was morning already. His mother had asked him repeatedly to shift to his bedroom before dozing off but his studying time had taken over and he had fallen asleep in the same spot. However, now he found himself wide awake. And then someone knocked at the door and he heard his mother saying, “Nadir, are you inside? Please open the door. It’s almost time to be ready for school.” When he awoke, it took him a while to adjust to the surroundings as he half expected to see the same man beside him. But all he saw were piles of books and then he realised how he had dozed off in his study room. It was morning already Nadir hurriedly opened the door and said, “Yes, Mom! I’m here.” Nadir’s mother was amazed to find him awake already, “Son, why didn’t you go to your bedroom? Were you sleepless the whole night?” Nadir became silent, and then suddenly wept in his heart and continued, “Mom! I’m really sorry for last night. As you told me thrice to go to my bedroom to sleep but I slept here in no time.” His mother stared at him as if she knew he was upset and then decided to ask him directly, “But son, why do you look so nervous? You’re also talking really strangely. Are you okay?” “Mom, do you remember my matriculation results in which I had failed twice and it’s now the third time that I have to study once again in the same class. Didn’t I say that all my classmates have already completed their Ordinary Levels and are about to apply for jobs? I wanted to quit school but you forced me to attempt the examination again and never be afraid of failure. After another unsuccessful attempt, I had become completely hopeless and was about to give up but…” “But what?” asked his mother looking very worried. “But last night, I dreamt of a strange man with whom I was having a big conversation. He told me to never lose hope and expectations after a failure, rather to be strong enough to overcome them. He too told me that he would always be hand-to-hand with me and would never leave me alone in the dark. But mom, I’m very afraid of that dream as I don’t believe in such things. I know that nobody supports me enough to fulfil my wishes as we too are poor which pushes us backwards and kills our desires,” Nadir said hopelessly. “My dear Nadir! Certainly, the man was correct in saying never be hopeless and work harder to achieve your dreams. In reality, dreams have the power to come true as these are the true messages which are dispatched by God to His creations to not be disappointed rather always keep hope until the last breath. It is rightly said that God helps those who help themselves. You have to maintain your efforts to gain success. Son, be a slow walker but never walk back though you would fall down several times but it doesn’t mean that you won’t reach your goal. Without a doubt, you will reach there one day with happiness but it only needs to sustain the hopes for a bright future. Remember that a bright future always waits for the one who keeps his/her steps going forward for that with hope to win,” his mother said. This show of a strong conviction by his mother made Nadir speechless as began to think deeply about his journey. He believed his mother whose words had given him the courage to move on and fulfil his dream. He regained his hope and expectations which were thrown-off due to his failures. Nadir continued his efforts more energetically and believed that success existed in hard work and hard work paid off when someone believed in it and had faith in himself. The beliefs and extraordinary efforts brought multiple changes which transformed Nadir’s life and he became an exemplary student and a successful profession. And then, one day, he got the Nobel Prize for being a shiny star who brought light to so many people and encouraged them to keep their hopes high in acquiring success in their lives. Once Nadir was a hopeless and a heartbroken person but the dream and his mother’s magic words grew hope inside him and turned darkness into brightness. From that day onwards, he believed that dreams were the real signs of bringing victory in one’s life and always keep hope for everything which begets successful stories for lifetime. He thanked Allah the Almighty and his mother for making him hopeful and saving his life from darkness. He promised to forward the message to everyone to always be hopeful instead of being hopeless in your life. The writer teaches at DELTA can be reached at shakeelphullan137@gmail.com Published in Daily Times, February 6th 2019.