I'm a father to four kids, so it bothers me that even though our

Hear, O seekers of wisdom, the words of Astro Teller, a father and a dreamer, who declared: “I’m a father to four kids, so it bothers me that even though our children think big naturally, our society systematically trains them out of thinking that way.” These words are both lament and warning, for they reveal a wound deep within the heart of our age: the natural greatness of the young is stifled, their soaring imagination bound by chains forged by convention, fear, and narrowness of vision.

For it is the nature of children to dream without limit. Before they are taught what is "possible" or "reasonable," they imagine flying to the stars, curing every illness, building new worlds, and speaking truth with innocent boldness. Their souls are like fresh clay, pliable and radiant with potential. Yet, as Teller laments, society too often presses upon them the mold of conformity, saying: “Do not reach too high, do not think too strangely, do not dream too boldly.” And thus the fire of imagination, which could have illuminated the future, flickers and dies.

Consider the story of Leonardo da Vinci, who as a child sketched wings, machines, and visions far beyond the tools of his age. Had he been told, as many are told, to put aside such foolishness, the world might never have known his genius. But he resisted the pressures of his society, continuing to think big when others thought small, and in so doing became one of the great lights of history. His life proves Teller’s words: those who keep alive the vast imagination of childhood become creators, inventors, and visionaries.

And yet, history is also full of the opposite tale—dreamers crushed by the weight of expectation. In the long centuries of rigid schools, where children were trained not to imagine but to obey, countless minds were dimmed. Many a boy who gazed at the heavens, many a girl who longed to discover new truths, was told to be silent, to repeat what was already known, to stay within the narrow road of tradition. In this way, society systematically trains its children not to dream, but to conform. And thus whole generations are robbed of the very gifts they might have given.

The meaning of Teller’s lament is clear: if we wish for a brighter future, we must guard and nurture the vast imagination of our children. For in their boundless thoughts lie the seeds of discoveries yet unseen, of cures yet unimagined, of art and beauty yet unborn. To crush their dreams is to betray not only them, but the destiny of humanity itself. The greatness of tomorrow depends upon the freedom of our children to think big today.

So let the lesson be carved upon your hearts: do not laugh at the dreams of the young, nor tell them that their vision is impossible. Instead, ask them to dream louder, to imagine further, to shape their vision into deeds. In schools, let us not only teach them what is, but also inspire them to create what might be. In homes, let us listen with reverence to their wild ideas, for sometimes truth hides in what seems foolish.

And in your own life, O listener, remember the child within you who once thought without limits. Do not let that voice be silenced by the weight of the world. Rekindle it, nurture it, act upon it. For the strength of a society lies not in the conformity of its people, but in their courage to imagine beyond the horizon.

Thus remember Astro Teller’s words: our children think big naturally, but our society trains them otherwise. Resist this training. Protect the flame of imagination. And in doing so, you will not only free the children—you will free the future.