Dream Big

Young Australian of the Year Jessica Watson has urged people to follow their dreams.

At 16, she captured the nation’s attention during her 210-day odyssey to become the youngest person to sail non-stop and unassisted around the world.

At the awards ceremony in Canberra in January 2011, she said belief and hard work were the secrets to achievement.

“You don’t have to be anyone or anything to achieve something. You’ve just got to believe in it and work hard,” she said.

“It doesn’t have to be sailing around the world. It might be building an orphanage in Cambodia, campaigning for climate change or something as simple as getting a driver’s license.”

“So, to all of you out there, particularly us young guys, let’s dream big. But more importantly, let’s make it happen.”

Watson sailed into Sydney Harbor to a hero’s welcome on May 15 2010, having finally completed a 23,000 nautical mile journey seven months after setting off.

But it was never easy: dangerous weather and a run-in with a 60,000-tonne coal carrier threatened to derail the journey, while critics said she was too young and was putting herself in harm’s way.

The National Australia Day Council paid tribute to the teenager’s maturity and dignity after naming her Young Australia of the Year at a ceremony in Canberra.

“From the age of 12, Jessica Watson dreamt of sailing solo, unassisted, non-stop around the world, and at the age of 16, she made it happen,” the council said.

“Her voyage has inspired thousands of people of all ages, and has shown that if you put your mind to it, you can achieve what may at first seem impossible.”

A Full and Complete Stop

After the aircraft landed and was taxiing toward the gate, the head steward got on the PA system and began the oft-repeated speech about destinations, gate locations and the service people waiting to help you.

Then as the plane approached the gate, some passengers looked restless, and it appeared as if they were about to stand up.

Seeing this, the steward announced, “We have invested a lot of money to ensure that your flight has been safe and comfortable. We are also looking for ways to save money, and this aircraft is participating in a new experiment. To reduce costs, we are asking for volunteers to help clean the cabin upon our arrival. Those wishing to volunteer for cabin clean-up, please stand up before we come to a full and complete stop.”

Not a single passenger left his or her seat until they were at the gate, and the seat belt sign was turned off.

Loose Chickens

Nancy was a real estate agent and had gone to check out one of their listed properties. It was an egg-laying operation, a commercial facility involving thousands of caged chickens. The warehouse-like building held hundreds and hundreds of small cages, each containing two hens. The cages were so small that the chickens were unable to turn around. In front of the chickens, one conveyor belt brought feed and behind them was another belt that carried their eggs away. While the plant manager was briefing them, Nancy noticed a dozen loose chickens and an employee following them and scattering grain.

“Do you need help to catching them?” Nancy asked.

“I’m not trying to catch these birds,” the plant manager replied. “We let them wander around. If the caged ones can’t see a few chickens living with a free life, they’ll lose hope and stop laying their eggs. Without those loose chickens, the rest will just give up and die.”

Instantly, it struck Nancy how similar people’s lifestyle was to these caged birds. How many live their lives in cages, looking out and seeing others having the adventures, living their dreams, being free? There are two kinds of chickens: those who live in cages and those who roam freely. Nancy wanted to be one of those loose chickens.

Within a couple of months, Nancy and her husband wangled a year’s unpaid leave of absence, closed her small business, found someone to house sit their home, took money out of their retirement savings, bought an old camper-van and set off to explore Mexico and Central America.

That year stretched into two, and they decided not to return to their old jobs. The house-sitter became a tenant who then became the guy who bought their house. The camper-van turned into a twenty-five-foot trailer, which then turned into a thirty-seven-foot motor home. And, a few years ago, their son Bill also became a full-time explorer – a family of loose chickens, roaming free.