It was Saturday (April 18, 2009) back home late from work surfing through Television channels killing time; a news item on the new English channel WB caught my attention. It was about this new sensation from Britain “Ms. Susan Boyle”, who is making all head turn for her performance on the British Reality show “Britain’s Got Talent”. As I had caught up with the news items in the middle I couldn’t make much sense of it, but did get to understand that this performance is getting lot of hits on “You Tube”.
So for curiosity sake got the chance to check out the video on you tube the very next day (lucky it was Sunday), I was spell bound and my mind froze for few minutes watching the performance…..it was pure magic……wondering what so great about it…..you must see it to believe it, rather feel it……….
Susan walks to the centre of the stage; irrespective of our nationality, color or creed we have already made our judgment of her just by her looks. Here is a 47 year old unemployed woman from the country side of Britain (Scotland to be precise) with the looks of the next door neighbour but with a dream to become a professional singer and as successful as Ellen Page. The expression that one get to see on the faces of the audience and on the Judges are no different that the mirror reflection of ourselves (although we may refuse to accept it). By this moment all of us have actually written her off.
Her song of choice for this audition is “I dreamed a dream from Les Miserables”
The music begins to play and everyone’s body language show their lackluster attitude. There is small smile on her face just before she begins the song, first few words are good enough to get the judges and audience to shake them and make them pull-up and get completely involved in the performance. As she sing along, one gets to see the picture of her grow into this huge tower of talent and all the rest turning into dwarfs with their jaws drop, spell bound. It’s so ironic to see we dwarfs had been judgmental of her just few minutes ago but now are asking the question if we are worthy enough to judge her. It was also ironic but at the same time comforting to see the frowning audience in a fraction of a second turn into cheer leaders.
The Lyrics and the music just fit perfectly. Is this what is called as the perfect match? - The right person at the right time at the right place with the right talent!
Susan has become an overnight star and she is already making waves not just in Europe but also in the USA and around the world through You Tube. In just 10days this performance of hers has gone on to have 30 million hits.
What is causing this euphoria? Is it the underdog story? Or is it that all of us see some part of ourselves in Susan – who have given up our dreams for various reason just like Susan gave hers up for taking care of her parents? Or are we seeing our dreams getting fulfilled through her success?
Whatever the reason may be Susan’s story has truly been a inspiration to lot many of us, in not giving up on our dream and to do our best in turning them into a reality. It has flushed new meaning to the quotes “Every Cloud has a Silver Lining” and “Leave no stone unturned”. Personally in addition to the above the biggest that all need to take home is, as summed up in the words of Amanda Holden (one of the judges of the show) “All of us were too cynical of her and this is the biggest wake-up call ever”
...Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover….
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The Lyrics of the song “I dreamed a dream”
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high,
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving.
Then I was young and unafraid
When dreams were made and used,
And wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung,
No wine untasted.
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hopes apart
As they turn your dreams to shame.
And still I dream he'll come to me
And we will live our lives together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms We cannot weather...
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seems
Now life has killed
The dream I dreamed.
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