You can do all you put your mind to

Ngahi Bidois. Photo / File

"Are you laughing at me Papa?" - That was the question my son Eru asked me one day.

He had just said something that made me laugh. In fact I couldn't stop laughing. His puzzled look on his face told me I should stop laughing and explain myself.

On the contrary I wasn't laughing at him. I was so pleased with what he had just said.

You see, all his life he has been surrounded by positive people such as his Te Kura o Te Koutu teachers and principal Matua Uenuku, his mates, uncles, aunties, grandparents and many others including his sister, mother and me. We have encouraged him to do anything and he had just made a statement that would make every one of us laugh.

So what did Eru say that made me laugh for him? To put the conversation in context I was spending a bit of father-son time with him in Auckland a couple of months ago because he is in his first year at Auckland University. I still miss him a lot so I create business opportunities to be in Auckland, and if he is available, chill out with him. This was one of those times.

His mid-semester break was coming up in a couple of months and out of the blue he said he was thinking of going to America for two weeks during his mid-semester break and he wanted to know what I thought.

If there is anything any parent, teacher or principal would want to be known for saying to their child or student it would be, "You can do anything you put your mind to".

If you focus, have the right people around you, work smart and hard you can do anything. I laughed because I was happy for him and for everyone who had contributed to him even thinking he could do that.

My son's trip to America is not a particularly long or expensive one. However it is the culmination of a long 19-year life journey of encouragement. It is a sign that we have rangatahi who think a lot bigger and the world has become a lot smaller for them.

Ehara tona toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini. His trip and life journey is not just his achievement, but the achievement of many.

Ngahihi o te ra is from Te Arawa and is an International Leadership Speaker, MC and author. Book him for your keynote presentation, training, or seminar by phoning 021482-281 or through his website at www.ngahibidois.com.