Aiming for the sky is always considered a challenging and motivating factor. However, practically speaking, that long distance goal is only good in theory. In real practical life, it is one step-at-a-time.
Most often we Salesians fail, and miserably at that, because we think too big. Well, dreaming of huge grand plans is nothing harmful. The danger is embarking on it purely on the dream alone. Not really testing it out in bits and learning from it, before going for the big kill. We often are in a hurry to make it big! We forget that it takes years of hard work and effort, including a humility to constantly evaluate ones own work and learn from it. Humility also to accept the fact that we do not know-it-all. Therefore the need to involve and learn from others who are experts in that field. Once we have worked on a small task, involving people, gaining experience and wisdom, and have significantly proved it to be successful, then present it as a working model. Then take up something bigger and gain from that experience... learn, evaluate, experiment, involve, reflect, plan. By this time you have a network in place (of people, places, contacts, experiences, information). Bigger tasks will naturally come your way or be entrusted to you.
Mere grandiosity, solely on the basis of 'reaching out' is something we religious should be cautious about. Don Bosco did not straight away build large houses and churches! He first started meeting boys in the streets, in the prisons, in their work places. He then gathered them on Sundays. Again, not in a grand place of his own. His initial boarders were living with him in his house, not a large well-furnished boarding house! He built up his work bit by bit. As the felt need presented itself, he undertook bigger houses and places. He did not build (buildings) and then start working!!
Most often we Salesians fail, and miserably at that, because we think too big. Well, dreaming of huge grand plans is nothing harmful. The danger is embarking on it purely on the dream alone. Not really testing it out in bits and learning from it, before going for the big kill. We often are in a hurry to make it big! We forget that it takes years of hard work and effort, including a humility to constantly evaluate ones own work and learn from it. Humility also to accept the fact that we do not know-it-all. Therefore the need to involve and learn from others who are experts in that field. Once we have worked on a small task, involving people, gaining experience and wisdom, and have significantly proved it to be successful, then present it as a working model. Then take up something bigger and gain from that experience... learn, evaluate, experiment, involve, reflect, plan. By this time you have a network in place (of people, places, contacts, experiences, information). Bigger tasks will naturally come your way or be entrusted to you.
Mere grandiosity, solely on the basis of 'reaching out' is something we religious should be cautious about. Don Bosco did not straight away build large houses and churches! He first started meeting boys in the streets, in the prisons, in their work places. He then gathered them on Sundays. Again, not in a grand place of his own. His initial boarders were living with him in his house, not a large well-furnished boarding house! He built up his work bit by bit. As the felt need presented itself, he undertook bigger houses and places. He did not build (buildings) and then start working!!
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