ABOUT DREAMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 April 1935, Page 4

ABOUT DREAMS

WOVEN INTO EXPERIENCE. Some people have dreams and aspirations that are quite definite, towards which they can work with confident hope. On the other hand, there are many more—especially young persons, whose drcams are nebulous—vague yearnings for success in some line, with perhaps no real expectancy of achievement. These dreams, however, are often worth listening to, for even in their unformed state they indicate tendencies, potential abilities, that with wise encouragement on the part of parents may come to something definite, says a writer in the “Christian Science Monitor.” • So it is that the dreams of young persons might well be treated by their elders with consideration, might be made more possible, through being brought into contact with actual experience.

One young girl, who liked, nothing better than to fashion doll clothes or suggest ways she wanted her own garments made, kept saying she was going to be a great costume designer some day. Her mother counted of value this glimpse into her child’s life and did not wave the idea away with an “Oh, wait and we will see when the time comes.” She watched her chance to encourage the child. When, one day, she. had completed a plain little dress for her daughter, she suggested that the girl either design or pick out a set of collar and cuffs. The daughter was delighted, and put in hours trying to fashion a set that would please her. When the collar land cuffs were done, her mother suggested that, she begin her course of dress designing by specialising on neck accessories for a time. Together they studied fashion books, visited stores and looked at ready-made clothes, taking in every detail of dressmaking* establishments, where the young daughter was told the great importance of correct cut and finish to sleeve and neckline. It was not long before this girl had made several sets of dress accessories for her simple gown, and her school friends asked her to make them some. This led to further thought and original ideas. Dy the time she had made several such sets, she felt an assurance that she possessed some ability, and this spurred her on. She offered her services free to assist on busy Saturdays in dry goods stores where she could handle neckwear or ready-made gowns. Here she learned people's likes and dislikes and had a chance to see just what kinds of neck finishes looked best on different types of people.

When she was rqady for college, she bad already developed her talent enough to enable her to earn money that materially helped her to get her education. Before she was ready for a job she had the ability to hold one down with profit to her employer. Later, she had a dress accessory shop and designed many of the exquisite collar and cuff sets that were a part of her stock. This was the result of turning a vague wish into something real, when she made, her first simple set of dress accessories.

A young lad was always talking about his tour of the States. He wanted to see America and its historic and scenic spots. Although it looked a long way off until he could make even the first leg of such a journey, he was encouraged not to let his desire remain just a vague yearning. • He decided to learn the United States second-hand first, and then some day he would start out with a knowledge of its principal attractions and interesting spots. He studied history, he read books of people who had learned the voice of the big cities and interpreted it to their readers: be studied road maps until he could shut his eyes and direct a tour on al-most-any highway in the country: and he talked with travellers who had made journeys far or near. He became an educated armchair traveller. Then he was rewarded for putting his vague wish into real knowledge. He was asked by an elderly gentleman if he would drive for him on a six months’ tour while he was gathering information for a travel book.

Why was he chosen for this job? Because he had taken a vague longing and done what he could with it. He had availed himself of all the things at his command at the time. And today. as he himself, now an authority on history, writes stories and histories of early days, of the pioneers f tinggles. or of’, the hill-bill'prob-lems. he is glad that. ii<_- took ' lm ■longing he possessed in early boyhood and refused to think it could never hi- brought to a realisation.