I wanted to be in the police force, a teacher, a judge, lawyer

The words of Ji Chang-wook resound with the innocence of youth and the awakening of maturity: “I wanted to be in the police force, a teacher, a judge, lawyer, doctor, and other jobs. Of course, my mind changed as I started to face reality.” This is not merely the reflection of one man, but the universal journey of the human heart. In childhood, the soul soars unbounded, dreaming of many paths, imagining itself as healer, protector, builder, and leader. Yet as the veil of reality descends, the spirit is tested, and one must choose among the countless roads only a single one to tread.

Know, O seeker, that this is no tragedy. For dreams, like the stars in the night, are meant not all to be touched, but to guide us by their radiance. A child who longs to be many things is not fickle but overflowing with the abundance of possibility. It is only through reality, that stern but honest teacher, that we learn our strength, our limits, and our calling. The many dreams of youth are the soil from which the one enduring destiny grows.

Think of the great Leonardo da Vinci, who as a boy dreamed not of one profession but of all: he studied anatomy like a doctor, he drew inventions like an engineer, he painted like a poet of color, and he dissected the world’s mysteries like a philosopher. Though he could not embody every dream to its fullest, he revealed to mankind that within the human heart lies a hunger for the infinite. His life is proof that our early longings are not wasted fantasies, but sparks that ignite the fire of our true calling.

Yet for most, as for Ji Chang-wook, the narrowing of paths is inevitable. Reality speaks with a firm voice: the years are few, the body is limited, and life demands sacrifice. To become one thing, one must surrender another. The aspiring doctor who chooses the stage cannot also heal the sick; the child who dreamed of being a judge may instead become a creator of stories. But take heart—this is not defeat. It is the refining fire that shapes us, turning molten desire into a single, shining form.

There are those who, when faced with the chasm between dream and reality, despair and turn bitter, thinking that their youth was deceived. But the wise see otherwise: every abandoned dream leaves behind a gift. The one who never became a teacher may still teach with words and actions; the one who never became a lawyer may yet fight for justice in daily life. The essence of each dream can remain alive within us, woven subtly into the life we do choose.

The lesson, then, is clear: Do not mourn the death of your childhood dreams, but honor them as guiding stars. They led you here, to the place where reality meets purpose. Look back on them not with regret, but with gratitude, for they revealed the depths of your soul and the desires of your heart. In truth, no dream is wasted, for even those not fulfilled shape the one you become.

Therefore, children of tomorrow, hold fast to your dreams but walk boldly into reality. Ask yourself not only, “What do I wish to be?” but also, “What does my strength allow? What does the world require of me?” Act with courage, for even one path chosen with devotion can echo louder than ten thousand idle wishes. Strive to weave into your chosen life the fragments of the dreams you left behind, and you will find that you have not lost them, but transformed them.

And so remember this: the journey from dream to reality is not a betrayal of youth, but its fulfillment. Like a river that once branched in many directions, the current of your life must gather into one stream, flowing toward the sea. Walk with faith, embrace your calling, and let the memory of your many dreams give richness to the one destiny you finally claim.