In the GQ Interview with Zach Baron, Actor Tom Cruise said, “I’ve never met a ‘nobody’ in my entire life. Everyone has a story. Everybody’s life has a journey and a story.”
Like Tom, I’m 64 years old. I also get that it’s not all about me. It’s about others. About them.
Tom loves asking people about their dreams. Ironically, he said, “I learned very early on, don’t tell people you have dreams.” Because sharing his dream out loud wasn’t safe or smart to do. Other people didn’t understand or dismissed them. Now, Tom is one of the last Great Movie Stars on Planet Earth, still at 64 years old.
Zach asked, “When you hear other people’s dreams. Do they make, like sense to you?… And do they make sense when you hear them?”
Tom answered, “Oh yeah. They’re beautiful! And you see how they’re creating them.”
I’ve trained in Aikido for well over 35 years. I’m Godan (5th degree black belt). I have the honor and privilege of being Sensei for over 25 years. When I teach teenagers, I ask them where they want to go to college? I ask what they want to study, what they want to major in? What they want to do in life? I want to know about their dreams.
They tell me their dreams. They’re all beautiful.
Students give their permission to teach them, to be their Sensei. So, I do my best to give them the skills and character they need to pursue and follow their dreams, to create their future. It’s all about them.
I have more years behind me than ahead of me. I’ve had a good life. I profoundly get that it’s not all about me. Time is undefeated. Mortality is also the great blessing. I make my life meaningful in the finite time that I have. The late Mizukami Sensei taught me to be of service and make a difference for others. I perpetuate his meaningful legacy.
Over a lifetime, I’ve been blessed to learn from great friends, great teachers, and great Sensei’s. I give away all that I’ve gotten from them to others. Maybe, on some scale that helps others fulfill their dreams and create their futures. They can have a meaningful life, like I have. That’s my sincerest wish.
Tom said, “I think that a person without a dream has decided not to live.” Tom constantly moves on to his next dream. “The next cliff.”
I’ve been fortunate, have been lucky having people in my life, who helped me fulfill my dreams, have a good life. My dreams have changed over the years, much like I have evolved and changed. I have the life that I love. I have people in my life I love and who love me back. My life is meaningful. I try to make a difference so that everyone can have their meaningful lives, too.
Nobody is a “nobody”. Everybody matters. Everybody’s dreams matter.
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Photo by ammar sabaa on Unsplash
