In 1939 he lost both his parents. In an unexplained way his inheritance disappeared and he was sent to an orphanage. He grew without toys and without hugs. His family became all his school brothers. Together they grew in a world of economic challenges, just as the rest of the world during the years of the great depression.
He still remembers the wonderful week, he and his brothers enjoyed with the forgotten construction material left in the patio of his school. They transformed a simple pile of sand into a fascinating adventure. They built a highway with all kind of exciting elements: bridges, tunnels, dangerous curves and even cars. The materials were simple: pieces of wood, boxes of matches, pebbles, bottle caps, etc.
The engineer in charge of that construction site found the children immerse in their fantasy and couldn’t just start using the materials without a word with them. The engineer told them how fascinating is to create dams, highways, bridges… to create something that will serve others for many years to come. This conversation was the inspiration that changed his life. He was meant to become an engineer. He knew that he was to transform the world and leave marks of his existence on this Earth.
He did!
He went to university finished his Civil Engineering studies. He worked in such an inspired way that it was not very long before he reached the level of director in a prestigious construction company. By that time he had a house, a brand new car, children in private school and very many other perks.
BUT
Yes, there’s a “but”! He was not satisfied with what he was building and how much say he actually had into how it was built. He wanted to create opportunities for children like him, when he was one. He wanted to build schools so that children would have the opportunity to learn, to explore beyond what is.
As soon as this desire was honestly verbalized, all conspired for it to happen. Against the security warnings of his wife, he decided to quit his director job and set up his very own construction company.
I told you he made money and good money as a director. Well, I can tell you that when he decided to follow the calling of his heart, he made way more money AND he was way more satisfied. He was able to open possibilities for those children who needed their world to be expanded. He built numerous schools in impoverished areas.
This story is very personal to me. The man of this story is my very own father. This story happens in the Mexico of the 80’s, during a recession that was worse than the one of the 30’s.
I love many elements of that! The one that I would like to highlight is that he didn’t think impossible neither to become an engineer, nor to follow his passion and give back to society. He didn’t ask himself “How?” He held to the dream and the “how” got answered: he got the funding, he got the contracts, he got the partners, he got the inspiration…
If you’re stuck in the tactical matters of your business, of your dream; STOP. Take a step back and reconnect with your passion. Take a walk, breath, observe the clouds and reconnect with it. The most harmonious way to get the funding, the contacts, the partners, the money… will become apparent.
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