Back When I Was Just a Kid…

The kid sat looking at the ground saying nothing as the headmaster spoke to his mother. “If he doesn’t leave school I fear they’ll  end up killing him”

“Okay, he can leave school this week” she replied.

The ‘They” he was referring to were a group of about 20 kids who hated him and used to take turns in picking fights with him almost every day.

His crime?

Having a different accent.

He was one of just two kids in the East Fremantle  high school with a British accent. For some strange reason this was enough for them to hate him and to do everything they could to make his life an absolute  ’Hell on Earth’

This was back in 1974 when Australia was far less the tolerant and multi-cultural place it is today.

And so the kid would go to his locker after sport only to discover 20 kids had spat on the inside of his shoes – or worse sill to see that they had shoved his shirt down the urinal yet again.

The anger in his heart led him to fight and he could mix it with the best of them – except for the fact that only in the Kung Fu movies can someone really take on multiple opponents and win.

Worst of all, the teachers did absolutely nothing. Some even joined in the bullying calling him a “Pommy B” at every opportunity.

As he sat there that day hearing the words of the headmaster and seeing his education being torn from his grasp, he thought to himself; “This is so unfair!”

But he determined that it wouldn’t be the end.

And ever a few months later, when he tried to stop his Stepfather from killing his Mother in a drunken fit of rage – only to end up having to leave home for good (because to stay would have invited serious injury even death) the kid still tried to keep his dreams alive.

But it wasn’t easy.

Just 14 years old, out of school, no money and now a street kid is not exactly a recipe for happiness is it?

The kid absolutely hated ‘Sleeping Rough’ and  the dangers involved in living on the streets – well you can only imagine how that would be enough to break anyone’s heart.

But still he kept his dreams alive.

He dreamed that one day he would have  a warm, loving relationship with the girl of his dreams. He dreamed of being able to travel all over the world to meet amazing people of being able to see and do amazing things.

He dreamed of having his own business that would touch lives and really make a difference for the better.

He dreamed of writing stuff that would be read all over the world. It wasn’t easy but the kid never let go of his dreams.

Sometimes, down through the years, it felt as if his dreams were a stream that had dissapeared deep underground and out of sight (Like the time he was divorced after years in an empty, loveless marriage and was convinced he’d never ever find love again) only to see them burst to the surface once more – bringing fresh hope and new found inspiration, direction and purpose.

Along the way he discovered that he had a special gift. He could use words to grab attention, inspire and motivate. He never felt more alive than when he was speaking to others, showing them how to see their dreams come true.

Eventually, the kid grew up into a man and started his own company, went all over the world helping others find the keys they needed  to grow their business and increase sales.

He even  found the absolute love of his life in a beautiful Chinese  woman that shows him more love in a day than he used to see in a year.

And who makes him feel so deeply wanted, loved and appreciated that even a few weeks ago, when he turned 50, he was able to stop and look back on all the hard times and think to himself…”Thank God I never let those dreams die!”