by Jim Stovall
Jason nodded emphatically and began. “Yes. I thought a lot about The Gift of Laughter and who might need it the most. When I visited the senior citizens’ center to see how the periodic calls from the students at the school for the blind were going, I felt I had my answer.
“The senior citizens at the center are often suffering from chronic physical pain, and many of them have lost a spouse and a great number of their lifelong friends. They don’t get to see their children or grandchildren as often as they wish, so I felt they needed The Gift of Laughter.”
Hamilton prompted, “So how did you facilitate this?”
Jason continued. “Well, after breakfast each day at the center, a lot of the senior citizens gather together in regular groups around the television or on the sun porch or just in the hall near one another’s rooms. I went around to each of these groups and let them know that we had a new activity called the Monday Morning Circle of Laughter.”
Jason paused and then explained, “These senior citizens had gotten into the habit of getting together each morning and sharing complaints, fears, or just their aches and pains; but I told them from now on, Mondays were dedicated to the Circle of Laughter.
“All of the informal groups would allow each senior citizen, in turn, to share something humorous that had happened to them recently or a funny memory they have from the past. Nothing other than humor is allowed on Mondays.”
Hamilton nodded and asked, “So what have the results been from this Circle of Laughter?”
“It’s really been amazing,” Jason explained as he reached inside his jacket and drew out an envelope. “Here is a letter from the senior citizens’ center’s administrator. She explains that they are compiling data from the doctors and nurses, but the preliminary results have shown that the residents rest better, require less medication, and report an overall improved sense of well-being on Mondays than other days of the week. One of the physicians is actually planning to produce a report for a geriatric medical journal outlining the success of the Circle of Laughter.”
Hamilton thanked Jason and spoke to Mr. Dudly. “He’s all yours.”
Dudly nodded perfunctorily and began. “Mr. Stevens, did you actually teach these senior citizens anything about humor or laughter?”
Jason shook his head and admitted, “No, not really.”
“Did you facilitate or lead the discussions in these groups?” Dudly asked.
“No, not really,” Jason stated.
Dudly began to pace and shook his head as if disappointed in Jason’s answer then asked, “So other than suggesting that these people get together and discuss laughter, what did you really accomplish?”
“Nothing,” Jason said. “My grandfather taught me—and I realize—that humor exists in all of us. It surrounds us every day. Potential laughter is everywhere if we just find it and share it, but as my grandfather taught me through The Ultimate Gift, unless we look for and expect all of the good things and gifts of life, we will miss them. I simply helped a group of people focus on laughter instead of pain, suffering, and loneliness.”
Mr. Dudly waved at Jason and mumbled, “Dismissed.”
Dudly focused on me and said, “Your Honor, it is clear that Jason Stevens did not pass on or bring anyone The Gift of Laughter. These people at the center had it all along. I ask this court to rule on behalf of my clients, the rightful heirs to Red Stevens’ fortune.”
I nodded as Dudly returned to his seat and stated for all present to hear, “Mr. Dudly, I agree with you …”
Excited whispers could be heard from the Stevens family.
I tapped my gavel and began again. “I agree with you in that Jason didn’t bring these senior citizens anything they didn’t already have, but as I have come to understand Red Stevens’ intentions with respect to The Gift of Laughter, the fact that Jason allowed them to understand and express the laughter inside of them may, indeed, be the greatest gift of all.”
I rapped my gavel and ruled, “This court finds in favor of Jason Stevens. We will resume tomorrow and consider The Gift of Dreams.”
Dreams are the essence of all we can become.
Ten
THE LIFE OF DREAMS
The next morning found me—with cup of coffee in hand—leaning back in my comfortable leather chair and staring out the window toward the east in time for the sunrise. While I was in my usual place, the sun wasn’t. Or at least I could not have sworn to it under oath in a court of law. There was a filmy layer of clouds and fog lying atop the city. The most solid and permanent structures looked temporal as viewed from the window in my chambers that morning.
Reality is not always easy to define, and everything is not as it appears. These are good things for a presiding judge to remember both personally and professionally.
I held the DVD labeled The Gift of Dreams in my hand as I contemplated the ironies of life and what Red Stevens might reveal about dreams. The familiar image of Howard “Red” Stevens materialized on the video screen.
“Jason, this month you’re going to learn about a gift that belongs to all great men and women—The Gift of Dreams. Dreams are the essence of life—not as it is, but as it can be. Dreams are born in the hearts and minds of very special people, but the fruit of those dreams becomes reality and can be enjoyed by the whole world.
“You may not know it, but Theodore Hamilton is known far and wide as the best lawyer in the country. I know that performing at that level was a dream of his when I met him, and he has been living that dream for over fifty years. The dream came true in his heart and mind before it came true in reality.
“I can remember wandering through the swamps of Louisiana, dreaming about becoming the greatest oil and cattle baron in Texas. That dream became such a part of me that when I achieved my goals, it was like going home to a place I had never been before.
“I have been trying to decide, as I have been formulating this Ultimate Gift for you, which of the gifts is the greatest. If I had to pick one, I think I would pick The Gift of Dreams because dreams allow us to see life as it can be—not as it is. In that way, The Gift of Dreams allows us to go out and get any other gift we want out of this life.
“One of the first truly great dreamers I ever met in my life had a passion to create places and things that would touch the imagination of people. This passion was with him all the days of his life. He had his share of setbacks and failures as well as many detractors. I never saw him or talked to him at a time when he didn’t want to share his latest project with me. He was in the habit of creating huge dream boards that he would hang on the wall and draw out the plans for each of his projects on.
“I remember that when he was on his deathbed, he had arranged to tack the plans for his newest project onto the ceiling of his hospital room. That way, he could continue to look at his dream as he constructed it in his mind.
“A reporter came to visit him while he was in the hospital, and my friend was so weak he could barely talk. So he actually moved over and asked the reporter to lie on his bed with him so the two of them could look at the plans on the ceiling while my friend shared his dream.
“The reporter was so moved that a person would have that much passion while dealing with a serious illness in the hospital. The reporter concluded his interview, said good-bye to my friend, and left the hospital.
“My friend died later that day.
“Please do not miss the point. A person who can live his entire life with a burning passion for his dream to the extent that he shares it on his deathbed—that is a fortunate person. My friend had his dream with him all the days of his life. It continued to grow and expand. When he would reach one milestone of his dream, another greater and grander one would appear.
“In a real way, my friend taught a lot of people how to dream and imagine a better world. His name wa
s Walt Disney.
“But let me warn you. Your dreams for your life must be yours. They cannot belong to someone else, and they must continue to grow and expand.
“I had another friend whose name you would not know. He said it was his dream to work hard and retire at age fifty. He did, indeed, work hard and achieve a degree of success in his business. He held on to that dream of retiring, but he had no passion beyond that.
“On his fiftieth birthday, a number of us gathered to celebrate both his birthday and his retirement. This should have been one of the happiest days of his life—if his dream had been properly aligned. Unfortunately, his entire adult life had been spent in his profession. That is where he had gained a lot of his pride and self-esteem. When he found himself as a relatively young man without his profession to guide him, he faced the uncertainty of retirement. It was something he thought he had always wanted, but he discovered quickly it created no life-sustaining passion for him.
“A month later, my second friend committed suicide.
“The difference between one dreamer who was still energized by his lifelong passion while on his deathbed and another dreamer whose goal was so ill-fitting for his personality that he committed suicide should be apparent to you.
“Jason, it is important that your dream belong to you. It is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Your dream should be a custom-fit for your personality, one that grows and develops as you do. The only person who needs to be passionate about your dream is you.”
I thought about the relationship between dreams and reality in my own life. As I was contemplating my own long-held dreams—some that had come true, others that were unrealized—the sun broke through the clouds. What had been totally obscured earlier was now revealed as the most glorious sunrise I had witnessed in many months. It had been there all along.
The tension was high in my courtroom that day as Theodore Hamilton led Jason Stevens over each of the hurdles. The stakes seemed to grow even greater in this winner-take-all race to the finish.
I reminded everyone that Jason Stevens was still under oath with respect to his testimony in this case.
Mr. Hamilton began the questioning. “Jason, when your grandfather shared The Gift of Dreams with you, what was the task he asked you to undertake as a part of the process?”
Jason collected his thoughts and began. “My grandfather asked me to think about my life, my goals, and my dreams to determine what it was I wanted to accomplish in my life.”
Jason fidgeted a moment in his seat, put his hand on his forehead in concentration, and then looked above the gallery. He seemed to be focused on that time and place in the past.
“I thought about a million things I could do with my life, but when I boiled them all down, they seemed to each take the same direction.”
Hamilton nodded in understanding and encouraged Jason. “Please share that direction with us this morning.”
“Well, it’s pretty simple in a way,” Jason responded. “I want to help deprived young people. I don’t simply mean young people who don’t have money or who come from difficult circumstances; but I want to help those who don’t understand all the things that they have in their lives. I guess, in simplest terms, I want to spend my life sharing The Ultimate Gift with everyone I can.”
Hamilton smiled and said, “Thank you for sharing that, Jason. That’s what your grandfather wanted for you as well.”
“I object,” Dudly thundered. “It is for this court to decide what Red Stevens’ intentions were, not Mr. Hamilton.”
Hamilton mocked Dudly with a brief bow and formally intoned, “Very well, counselor, I shall leave this witness to you, and we will allow this court to decide.”
Dudly moved toward the witness box and actually leaned over the rail toward Jason.
“Mr. Stevens, doesn’t it seem a little too convenient for the dream you have for your own life to be to help other people with The Ultimate Gift? Could it be that you simply want control of several billion dollars?”
Jason smiled and said, “I have been sharing The Ultimate Gift with everyone I can since my grandfather gave it to me. I will be doing that for the rest of my life, no matter what else happens.”
“I see,” Dudly said with great skepticism. “Do you have any experience living life in poverty?” Dudly asked.
Jason shook his head and laughed, “No, quite the contrary, actually.”
Dudly continued, “Do you have any experience in your life with any sort of disability or infirmity?”
Jason shook his head and replied, “No, I’ve been very fortunate to be healthy my whole life.”
“Then how can you reasonably expect anyone to think you are the person to help others with their dreams? You can’t even undertake your own dreams without your grandfather’s money that should legally and morally be the property of my clients.”
“Object,” Hamilton said. “Your Honor, apparently Mr. Dudly wants to not only be the lawyer and the witness but judge, jury, and executioner as well.”
I tapped my gavel. “Sustained.”
“I have no further need to question this witness,” Dudly remarked offhandedly as he confidently strode to the counsel table, smiled at his clients assembled in the first three rows, turned, and took his seat.
“A dream is quite different from reality,” I began. “There need not be any evidence to support a dream for it to be valid. In fact, the aspect that makes dreams so remarkable is the fact that they are rarely, if ever, realistic. I find that Mr. Jason Stevens’ dream is both reasonable and admirable in light of his grandfather’s wishes and desires as outlined in Red Stevens’ last will and testament.”
A collective groan could be heard and felt from the gallery behind Dudly. Dudly sat open-mouthed, thinking that he had this one in the bag.
I continued, “Jason Stevens will be given a thirty-day period to demonstrate his ability to pass on The Gift of Dreams to others. This court stands adjourned.”
Jason Stevens carried a sizable box with him to the witness stand and set it on the floor near his feet. Hamilton directed him to share his activities pertaining to The Gift of Dreams over the last month, and Jason spoke.
“I began the month thinking about young people who most need The Gift of Dreams. Then I realized I had ready access to a group of kids who come from impoverished, dysfunctional, and disadvantaged backgrounds.”
Jason paused, looked down at the box at his feet, and continued, “I went to the Saturday School in the park, and I told all of the kids about The Gift of Dreams. We had several discussion groups and exercises. Finally, I asked each of them to write down the dreams that they have for their life.”
Hamilton smiled expansively and said, “Very good. Would you be able to share some of their dreams with us today here in the courtroom?”
Jason nodded confidently and reached into the box. He pulled out a handful of papers and began. “Taylor is age eight. He wants to play shortstop for the New York Yankees. Nicole is nine, and she wants to be an astronaut. Marcus is also nine and wants to be an actor. David is eleven, and his dream is to be a successful businessman so he can buy his mom a house and car. Laurie is seven, and she wants to be president of the United States.”
Hamilton interrupted, stating for the benefit of all present, “Thank you, Jason, I think that is more than enough to demonstrate your point in this matter. I have no further questions.”
“Mr. Stevens,” Dudly began, “what would you say are the odds of any one child growing up to play shortstop for the New York Yankees, becoming an astronaut, or—much less—being elected president of the United States?”
“I have no idea.” Jason shrugged as he spoke.
Dudly fired back, “Well, wouldn’t you say it’s highly improbable?”
Jason considered and then said, “Yeah, maybe.”
D
udly went for the throat, asking, “Then please tell the court what the point is of this entire exercise?”
Jason placed the paperwork respectfully back into his box, sat up straight, and spoke. “The point is not what these kids are dreaming. The point is that coming from their helpless and hopeless backgrounds that they have a dream at all. My grandfather taught me that dreams can grow and change. It’s not as important what dream you have as it is that you have a dream.”
Dudly rested his case, and I confidently ruled, “Jason Stevens has, to the satisfaction of this court, proven that he has the ability and desire to pass along The Gift of Dreams. Monday, we will consider The Gift of Giving.”
In this life, we often lose everything we try to keep, and get to keep everything that we try to give away.
Eleven
THE LIFE OF GIVING
The media vultures descended on the Saturday School the next morning. The obscure inner-city kids became instant celebrities across the country and around the world.
I watched an in-depth interview with nine-year-old Marcus who had a dream of being an actor. The reporters took turns shouting questions at him, flashbulbs exploded all around him, and a score of microphones were thrust in his face. Marcus was calm, cool, and collected. He handled every question as if the answer had been scripted for him, his voice never faltered, and his gaze never wavered.
At the end of his few minutes of fame, I was certain that if I were ever casting a major motion picture, Marcus would be on the top of my list.
Then Laurie appeared before the cameras. She was frail and seemed a bit bewildered. The graphic at the bottom of my TV screen reminded me that Laurie was only seven years old; but when the first question was fired at her, Laurie more than rose to the occasion.
A reporter opened with, “Laurie, what makes you want to become president?”