The Dreamseller_ The Calling - Augusto Cury [70]
To respect the differences that make us unique;
And to promote interaction among people of different cultures and beliefs.
The dreamseller knew that his proposals shared the principles of the French Revolution, the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and the Magna Carta of many nations. But the difference was that he dreamed of taking pages from those charters and printing that text within the hearts and minds of humans without borders.
“It’s too utopian,” I muttered to myself. But the dreamseller read my lips.
“You’re right. Nothing could be more utopian, imaginary, romantic. But take away the dream of utopia and we are left as machines. Take away hope and we are left as slaves. Take away dreams and we are left as robots. If business and political leaders thought in terms of humanity, two-thirds of the world’s problems would be solved in a month. And that’s no dream.”
I nodded my head, recognizing that he was right. I remembered all the times I had felt like a teaching machine whirring steadily for students who became learning machines.
The dreamseller seemed more fixated than ever. He measured his tone more than he normally did. Anyone could see this was a special day for him. And he seemed to have something important left to say. Then he told us the parable of the cocoon.
“Two caterpillars each spun a cocoon. In that protected atmosphere they were transformed into beautiful butterflies. Just when they were ready to fly free, their fears gripped them. One butterfly, being so fragile, thought to herself: ‘Life outside has so many dangers. I can be torn to bits and eaten by a bird. If a predator doesn’t kill me, I might be torn apart in a storm. A lightning bolt could strike me dead. The rain could weigh on my wings and send me crashing to the ground. Besides, spring is ending. What if the nectar runs out? Who will help me?’ The risks were in fact many, and the little butterfly had reason to be scared. Frightened, she decided not to leave. She remained in her protected cocoon, but, having no means to survive, she died a sad death, starved, dehydrated and, worst of all, walled in by the world she had spun.
“The other butterfly,” he continued, “was also apprehensive. She was afraid of the world outside, knowing that many butterflies didn’t last a day outside the cocoon. But she loved freedom more than she feared the dangers that could befall her. And so she set off, flying in the direction of all the dangers. She chose to be a wanderer in search of the only thing that defined her essence.”
When he finished telling the parable, the dreamseller unveiled his intentions. He paused briefly to listen to the exquisitely beautiful birdsongs that seemed to be sung in his honor and made a series of simple yet profound requests. There were so many that I found it hard to take notes:
“I called you here so early because for two days I’d like you to go out and live the principles of being ‘a human being without borders.’ I’m sending you out in pairs into the social landscape. Take with you neither purses, money, checks, credit cards, nor food—nothing that provides survival support, only medicines and personal hygiene products. Eat whatever you’re offered. Sleep in the beds prepared for you. Discriminate against no one. If someone rejects you, don’t resist, treat him with gentleness. Act like social therapists. Give and receive. Don’t feel the need to win people over. Don’t defend your beliefs, don’t impose your ideas. Instead, emanate humanity. Ask those you meet on the road how you can be of help to them. Talk to people, get to know their hidden stories, uncover dazzling human beings among the anonymous. Don’t look at them through your eyes but through theirs. Don’t invade their privacy, don’t try to control them, go only as far as they allow. Listen to them humbly, even those who are thinking of ending their lives, and encourage them to listen to themselves. If they manage only to listen to themselves instead of you, you have succeeded. Remember