Power is perhaps the most popular subject of dreams. It is a concept, much like many others, that is difficult to define. Nevertheless, there is one rather succinct way to describe power – it is simply the ability to transform. That is, the quantity of power that resides within a particular source can be measured by the extent to which it is capable of changing another object. For instance, time is powerful, as it can change mountains to sand. Love is powerful, as it can change pain into joy. Wisdom is powerful, as it can change the course of a life.
One quality of power that has been the root of millions of conflicts is that it tends to be distributed unequally. Whether by chance, or sheer hard work, some people in our world have acquired more power than many others. As a result, they have the ability to influence and change many more things than the average person can. As evidenced by the events of our history, a single person can become powerful enough to transform entire cities or countries. So, as young people in our pursuit of the power to transform ourselves and the world around us, where exactly do we begin?
Have you ever wondered how pearls are made? Pearls are some of the most valuable gems. They are often treasured as family heirlooms and can sometimes even be as expensive as diamonds. However, the great beauty and value of pearls do not come from a mythical process, but from a simple disturbance inside the shell of a mollusc. If a grain of sand were to enter the shell of a creature such as a clam or mussel, or if a parasite were to scratch or damage the inside of its shell, then the creature would begin to secrete a substance that would eventually harden into a pearl. So, the mollusc in its own way, has the power to change dirt and disturbances into a beautiful gem that is extremely valuable.
Thus, it is easy to see that power does not come from titles or wealth, so the pursuit of these things is often fruitless. People with true power can bring positive changes to the world even when they do not have great titles. On the other hand, there are also people who carry important titles but do not have any power. True power comes when we master the ability to transform the dirt and disturbances in our world – the problems, the discrimination and the inequality into something of true meaning. True power comes when we learn to make use of the worst parts of our life to build something that can bring value to the world. Titles of power are usually earned collaterally by people who have mastered this ability well.
The next time you encounter a problem that seems to have control over you, master the art of power by transforming the problem into a useful solution. Do not spend your time seeking the silver linings when deep inside you, hidden like a pearl, is the power to create your own.
