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The activities of the Gamania Cheer Up Foundation attract youths from all over Taiwan every year. The students who participate always leave inspired and full of courage. But how do these students continue to plan and follow their dreams after they’ve graduate? The Gamania Cheer Up Foundation believes that every student achieves a greater sense of self during its activities, so it helps them create a “dream map.” The foundation serves as the first stop on this map and new maps are created every year. The idea is to continue positive, forward thinking within each and every graduate!
Canxuan, nicknamed “Big Tree” is a student in the second year of the Summer School. She is also one of the students who sailed a boat across a savage sea. The Gamania Cheer Up Foundation has accompanied her through two summers of her challenging herself. This year, Big Tree showed immense courage by achieving her dream of traveling around the island on foot! Big Tree also made it a point to participate in the foundation’s ceremony to showcase their results. During this ceremony, she shared her experiences on her journey around the island.
Planting the Seed of a Dream
During her interview, Big Tree expressed how the foundation provides an opportunity to challenge yourself as well as a wealth of resources. She said that students learn and form many new ideas by participating in the program and it is an amazing experience to watch these ideas grow and come into fruition. After Big Tree got back from her hiking journey, she discovered that the influence of the foundation greatly exceeded her expectations. Hearing the stories of other people, some of whom she didn’t even know, helped her find courage inside herself. She uses this courage to pursue her dreams.
The willpower to overcome the overwhelming last leg of the journey
Navigating the waters that year was a difficult test of willpower. After she succeeded, Big Tree continued to use the inspiration she gained to overcome many difficulties. For example, there was a time when most people didn’t support the school’s social work camp. In fact, the camp leaders were facing the difficult decision of whether or not to continue with the program. Many people thought that it wouldn’t succeed. Hiking around the island also had its share of difficulties. However, no matter if she was hiking or serving as a camp leader, every time Big Tree felt like she couldn’t keep going, she summoned the willpower that she had when she was on the water that year. Big Tree remembers the struggles on the boat. Strong winds and rain surrounded her and her hands could barely hold on to the boat. There was one time where she had thought that if she let go and flew into the sea, everything would be okay, but she ignored that thought and carried on. From that point on, every time she came across a difficult matter, she remembered the difficulty of being on that boat and the courage she needed to get through it. At that time she thought she couldn’t go on, but now she knows that every difficulty can be overcome!
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The Yearly Cycle of Dream Maps
Even though ideas and desires exist in the brain, if one doesn’t make an effort to find them and act on them, dreams will remain only as dreams.
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Picture Source: http: //www. mindmapinspiration. com/dream-vision/
Big Tree’s Dream Map:
“If tomorrow is the end of the world, I can still go to sleep tonight with a smile on my face.”
At the end of the interview, Big Tree confidently states: “Even though there were many failures and setbacks this year, I remained strong and have no regrets. I have already accomplished many of the things I wanted to. That is why even the end of the world could not scare me now.”