‘Let your imagination release your imprisoned possibilities.’
– Robert Schuller

It was a regular night.  The children were asleep and the adults are downstairs spending some time together. 

I was opening the day’s mail when a cheque made payable to myself dropped on my lap.  I was pleasantly surprise. Under normal circumstances, I have only bills awaiting me.  

The cheque could buy both of us comfortable seats at the cinema with leftover for popcorn as well.  I showed my spouse the modest cheque.  He wasn’t as excited as I was looking at double digit figure. 

“Where would you like me to bank in your 1.2 million dollar cheque, sir?  Your Swiss bank account?  ” I asked jokingly.

“Behave,” he replied.  “The neighbours are outside.  They might hear us.”

“Come on,” I said. “This is only for fun.”

But he would not participate in this joy ride.  Instead, he kept bringing up dreams that I had stirred up a long time but did not materialised.

I was growing increasingly incredulous by his concern of what our neighbours might think of our little drama that was taking place. 

There I was, sitting and thinking to myself that I had created only a 1.2 million dollar cheque.  Is that only how big my dream was?  Well, I could have made it more interesting with a hundred and twenty million dollar cheque! 

And my spouse is worried about what the rest of the world is thinking?  I realised immediately that we were on totally different tracks here.

Since when did we stop dreaming? It must be the day to day mundane routine that we go through that has slowly but surely built a sturdy wall between us and our dreams. 

They are thinking nothing of us, I wanted to say. 

“Look around you,” I said, laughing while looking at him and around our tiny hall.  “There is no one here.  I don’t care if I sound moronic and stupid.  It’s only you and the four walls.  And what if our neighbours can hear me?  They have no idea what I am talking about.  And even if they do, I really don’t care. ”

That was the truth.  My spouse might think me as dumb, and ignorant.  What does it matter?   It is after all, only him.  He also happens to be the man I share everything with, except my toothbrush.    

What really mattered to me was that I started talking about my dreams and wants once again after a long while.  There were endless possibilities of what we might attain once I opened my mind to them.    

That million dollar cheque is waiting for me.  

Cheers ! to you my friends and a good week ahead. 

PS  Let your mind unleash the possibilities once more.  And forget about what your neighbours might think of you.  They think of nothing.