Tiffany is someone who dreams big. Someone who imagines futures so grand that the world — maybe even the entire universe — has a hard time holding it all in. But that’s what having dreams entails: believing in things that scrape the farthest boundaries of possibility, things that remain intangible even when we have them well within our grasp. And sometimes they’re things that float on hope, high above our reach no matter how hard we strain.

But the purpose of a dream isn’t to discourage us if we should fail to achieve it. Dreams exist to push us forward, to be something we work towards even if the ultimate goal ends up changing before we get there. Dreams exist so that fifteen-year-old girls can imagine themselves standing proudly on a stage a whole ocean away, singing in a language that tastes foreign even though it’s their parents’ native tongue.

Dreams exist because sometimes, they can come true.

Tiffany’s dream in particular started with family outings to the local Korean music festival and a PowerPoint presentation on why she should be allowed to leave her home for a gamble of a possibility. But with a lot of persistence and a little bit of luck, the whirlwind that swept her up eventually dropped her in a dorm with eight other girls who understood what she meant when she said she dreamed of the stars.

Fast forward, and “Girls’ Generation” is common vocabulary in every household in South Korea, and even Asia; then before they know it, they’re one of the few K-Pop groups to make it onto American national television. And more than a decade after she watched her industry seniors perform at that Los Angeles music festival, Tiffany found herself standing on that very same stage, living her dream on this side of the world, too.

The past years have seen many of Tiffany’s dreams bloom into an entire garden of beautiful successes, both in Korea and the United States. Tiffany is someone who can dream big because she’s not afraid of the consequences. So what if it might take years and years? So what if it might be too far of a reach in the end? Failure hurts, but wasted chances sting even more.

Because that’s all Tiffany needs: a chance. A sliver of a pause in how the world turns, when she can slip in and give everyone her all. And, smile bright with simple wishes of even grander things, hope that at least a few will hear her as she shouts for the heavens and beyond.

The road for chasing dreams is far from smooth, and Tiffany has had more than her fair share of the bumpy ride. And yet, she gets back up every time she trips, brushing scraped knees clean before she takes off running again, still full speed ahead.

Happy birthday, Tiffany. We wish you the very best, because the entire world is your oyster; all you have to do is spread your wings and dream of flying.

Sources: SUGARFANY, 801DAYZ, bicyclette, “PRESTIGE”, Tyche801
Written by: moonrise31@soshified
Lyrics translation from SonexStella@soshified

Originally posted on August 1st, 2018.