The story of when I was left speechless after hearing a 10-year-old boy's 'future dream'

A 10-year-old boy muttered to himself.

“I’m going to be like my mom when I grow up, get welfare, and live an easy life.”

At that moment, I lost my words.

A future dream of “welfare” — the reason the boy said that

“Hey, Non-chan (me), did you know? My mom doesn’t work. But she gets money every month.”

When I was a student volunteering at a children's home, a 10-year-old boy said this to me.

“Oh, is that so?”

Wait, wait, wait. What is coming next in this conversation?
I maintained a poker face to ensure my inner turmoil wasn't detected.

I waited for him to continue.

“That’s why I’m going to be like my mom when I grow up, get welfare, and live an easy life.”

I used to think that when children talked about their dreams, their eyes would sparkle.
But he said it while smiling. As if he had given up on something.

Is that really how you should decide on a dream?

“Why did you think that?”
I asked while keeping my poker face.

He shrugged his shoulders and said,
“Because, it’s impossible for me anyway.”

“Impossible?”

“Yeah. I’m not good at studying. And there are plenty of guys better than me at sports. There’s no point in trying.”

For a brief moment, he lowered his gaze as if swallowing something.
But then, with a wide grin, he said,

“My mom lives like that too and says, ‘It’s easy and nice,’ so that’s fine for me!”

he said brightly.

The curse of 'it's impossible anyway'

But I know.

That he actually loves baseball.

I remember him playing catch in the garden, holding the ball more preciously than anyone else.

While other children innocently talked about their dreams with sparkling eyes, saying, “I want to be a pro baseball player when I grow up!”, he was the only one who said,“I want to live easily on welfare.”he said.

Does he really just 'want to live easily'?
Or does he say that because he thinks, 'It's impossible for me anyway'?

It didn't seem like he 'had no dreams,' but rather that he 'wasn't even allowed to dream.'

Is this a matter of the individual's effort?

No, it's not.
If he didn't even know about 'other options' before effort was even a factor, then there's really nothing that can be done.

If you don't know, you can't choose

This child believed in the same path as his parents without a doubt.
Because that's 'all he knows.'

What if he had been able to see a different world?

What if he had met adults who thought, 'Working is interesting!'?
What if there had been an environment where he could think, 'Taking on challenges is fun'?

His future might have expanded significantly.
With just one 'trigger.'

But what if they grow up without ever having such an opportunity?

Ten years from now, he might truly choose a life of 'living on welfare'.

It's not that there's anything wrong with that.

It's just that.
I think.

Isn't it better to have more futures to choose from?
If they can't choose simply because they don't know, then I want to do something about that 'not knowing'.

What was your dream when you were 10?

(▼ Well, I didn't really have much of a dream. Haha)

If I had stayed in an environment where I was told 'that's impossible' when I was a child, I might have easily fallen under the curse of 'it's impossible anyway'.

It is such a waste to think 'this is all there is' while your options remain narrow.

That is why I have always held onto the sense of discomfort I felt that day.
Couldn't we create a future where children don't have to think 'it's impossible anyway' depending on their environment and experiences?

If they can think 'I want to be,' then the path that follows surely exists.

We adults can think about how to build that path while furrowing our brows.
...That's fine, but I'd hate to realize my brow is permanently furrowed, so let's keep it moderate.

Serious, but laughing together, relaxing our shoulders, all of us.

That's the kind of balance I'd like to maintain.

*...*...*...*...*
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