“Hartmut, I just wanted to say thank you for your wonderful song ‘Zu Ende träumen’ (Dreaming Until the End). This song has become an anthem for our Caribbean Rebels.” The PUR singer smiles and nods in thanks to Anke. “You should thank Götz, our manager. He had the idea for the title,” replies Hartmut Engler. Anke turns to Götz, who happens to be nearby, and repeats her thanks. “Thank you, Anke. I owe the title to my dear wife, Clara. One morning I woke her up, and she just said, ‘Dreaming Until the End’ and turned back over.”
What I realize in this moment is that we are surrounded by amazing people who know how to dream big. PUR, who made it from a school band in Bietigheim to Germany’s most successful pop band. How did they manage that? Let’s take a look at the first verse of “Zu Ende träumen”:
We sit together
We talk about dreams
Share our visions
And how everything can be
We stick together
In laughter and in tears
We hope and we fear
But we firmly believe in it
Yes, and friends and joy
And no one wakes us up
Until we…until we…until we…dream until the end
Sometimes the impulse for a dream comes from other people. Clara said something half asleep. Götz picked it up. And Hartmut turned it into a wonderful song. We need other dreamers to help us dream our dream until the end. Because only together can we do it. So, I ask you – do you often surround yourself with (day) dreamers? Because the whole world revolves around people who have big dreams and bring them into life.
Look at Rüdi (who is standing with us after the concert at the Berlin Waldbühne, happily sipping his glass of champagne). He has a dream too. To sing his song (My Friend Rüdi) with Hartmut at every concert he attends. The whole band is working on Rüdi’s dream. Hartmut’s wonderful fiancée, Katrin, always makes sure Rüdi gets his champagne after the concert and toasts with Hartmut. I make sure that Rüdi gets on and off the stage safe and sound. And the amazing team in Rüdi’s residential group takes care of him every day to keep him fit for the concerts.
What becomes clear to me on this tour is what a role model Rüdi is for many people. Many visitors, crew members, or people we meet backstage have someone like Rüdi at home. The topic of Down syndrome is more widespread than I thought. A woman in a wheelchair approached us by name in Timmendorfer Strand and tearfully thanked Rüdi. “You are such an inspiration to me. My doctor said I was going to die, and that was a few years ago now. You keep going. And that helped me keep going too. That’s why I’m here today. I just wanted to say thank you.” With teary eyes, I hugged her on behalf of Rüdi, who surely understands the depth of her message in his own way.
Where are the dreamers in your environment? Do you help them dream their dreams until the end? And are you dreaming a dream yourself that needs to become reality?
Here is the beginning of the second verse of “Zu Ende träumen”:
We know the direction
Determination ahead
Avoiding every detour
We are always straight ahead
That would be a good motto for this week. “Determination ahead” toward your dream. Are you in? I definitely believe in you and your dream.
I wish you lots of fun on the path toward “dreaming until the end.”
Warm greetings from the Oktoberfest in Munich.
