Dreams And Dreamers
“Dreams are universal human experiences that can be described as a state of consciousness characterised by sensory, cognitive and emotional occurrences during sleep.”
When I first started thinking about this concept, I immediately understood that this word is revolutionary. It’s the same as the trees that our eyes capture images of when we travel. Some trees grow tall while others remain short. Some have bulky leaves, whereas some don’t have any. Some are adorned with attractive flowers that hold you spellbound but have no aroma. Many trees have unattractive flowers yet emit an alluring fragrance. Some have tangled stems, while others just have a long, tall bark. You may see trees with leaves of different colours, while many display single coloured leaves. Dear reader, by now you may be wondering why I’m sharing my observations about trees?
For me, trees represent different dreams that people often see. I have concluded that the different categories of trees are just like the myriad types of dreams that people try to cling to during their journey of life. Some may be happy with their lot, while others want to achieve more, often stretching the limits. Some may go with the flow, while others challenge the status quo and forge their own way ahead.
I would like to share a few experiences of mine so that you can understand how and why I connect the concept of dreams to events in my own life. I studied chemical engineering at the Laxminarayan Institute of Technology in Nagpur. Many of you may not know that my institution is Asia’s first chemical engineering college that is currently in its 79th year. It is a venerable, respected institution that enjoys almost 100% placements for its final year students. Right from the time when I was in my first year of engineering, I realised that I needed to join a company that would offer me the opportunity to strengthen the Dreams And Dreamers 26 foundation of my career within the first five years. One of my seniors, who had already reached his final year was offered the opportunity to join Thermax at the time. Of course, he continues to remain a Thermaxian, even now. When I learnt about Thermax, I quickly realised that the inclusive work culture, growth opportunities and the focus on knowledge offered by the company was second to none. So, I set my sight on becoming a Thermaxian. It became my dream, and I was obsessed with making it a reality.
Indeed, the story of how I joined the company is a fairy tale – one that dreams are made of. My aptitude test took place on the marriage anniversary of my parents. Thermax was one of the 20 companies that had approached our institution and I knew that only one student would be selected. So, I was determined to make the grade. On that day, 54 students from my institution attended the aptitude test and only 13 were selected. I was proud to be amongst the selected ones. The next round of selection comprised group discussion, interview and an essay writing examination. Finally, I joined Thermax as an intern on my birthday, 15th May 2019. When all these events took place on a series of special dates, I was convinced that the stars were in my favour and that my dream would come true.
I joined the technical sales team of the Chemical division (resins) of the company that I had aspired for and immediately absorbed myself to enrich my knowledge. My confirmation took place on 1st December 2020, and I became an integral part of the technical sales team. My current objective over the next year or so is to improve my knowledge as much as I can so that I can apply it to the field of my work.
Friends, our foundation needs to be just like the big trees, which I spoke about earlier. Did you know that there is a particular type of bamboo tree that does not emerge from the soil until five years? This tree sets its roots under the ground for all this time, and when it emerges, it grows swiftly to become the tallest tree within its surroundings. I believe we should all be like this tree. If the tree wants to strengthen its roots, it needs to find a bed of soil that supports it. In the same way, you and I must be supported by the company we work for to strengthen our foundation. I believe that I am fortunate to have found just that.
So, dreams are magical and we need to learn the subtle art of accomplishing our dreams and converting them into reality. They have different meanings for every individual and everything around us is always a part of someone else’s dream. As they rightly say, “Everything in the world is formed twice, first in someone’s dream, then into reality.”
Yes, I am a dreamer who had dreamed of becoming a part of the Thermax family. I believe that dreams do exist in reality. And I am living my dream. So, you need to go ahead and live yours.
Happy Dreaming!
– Bhushan Belkhede
Chemical
