When will I stop dreaming it and start doing it?

 ‘I have in my mind a great revolutionary idea. I’m simply biding my time! It’s been a year since I have been waiting for that “magical” moment to implement it, and to make the world a better place.’ ‘Stop crying out aloud; just get off your b---, and do it!’ say my friends and supporters.

It’s easy for them to egg me on since it’s not their idea. I am the one who has to work out all the pros and cons. Yes, the world is waiting for my revelation with bated breath... Well, actually, no! They don’t even know that I exist; even if they knew, they wouldn’t care. And here I sit with my great idea, waiting and waiting.

I am still thinking about when and where to launch it so as to make the greatest impact. I am quite a shy and retiring person by nature, and all the attention I will receive is truly daunting. Who knows! I may even be awarded the Nobel Prize. Now wouldn’t that be great! I can’t help thinking about all the teachers at my school … they will surely regret all those nasty comments they made, or most likely they will conveniently forget their dim predictions of my prospects for the future, and will say: ‘I always knew he was destined for greatness.’

I drift off to sleep on this pleasant thought. Rudely awakened by the alarm clock (these infernal clocks are so damn punctual), I climb out of bed. As I’m getting ready for the day, I tune the TV on to my favorite news channel. Lo and behold! There on the screen is a smiling face announcing to the world ‘MY’ great idea!

I wanted to yell at that smarmy face that ‘it was my idea’. Then it struck me: there is nothing more mortifying than having missed the fruit for the lack of courage to shake the tree. Much chastened, I made ready to go to work and as I grabbed my bag and plastic water bottle, the bottle fell on my foot. I yelped in pain, hopping around on my good foot, thinking ‘that bottle is as hard as a brick!’ I walked out of the house thinking uncharitable thoughts about the water bottle, when I passed the fishing wharf. I stopped for a moment to watch the fishing boats unloading. I was amazed at the strength of the seemingly flimsy fishing nets. Stronger than steel, I thought. My ever agile mind jumped from brick-like bottle to the steel-like fishing net. There it was! Why don’t we build houses using plastic bottles instead of clay bricks and fishing net instead of expensive steel!

This time I wasn’t going to wait. I wasn’t going to be a dreamer. Instead, I was going to be a doer. The world’s first PET bottle and fishing net house was built and tested and presented at the UN (no less!).

When you have an idea—great or small—express it, and implement it.
You never know till it’s tried ... it may make the world a better place!