Other Side of the Street

Every night I go to sleep and so far I've arisen the next morning every time. I'm told that many of those nights my brain experiences dreams and often I remember having dreamt but have no recollection of the dream. When I do remember a dream, I think it is important to reflect on it.

It was night. Through the scene ran a road and on that road cars periodically passed. On my side of the road sat a graveyard and in that place I stood. Across the street from me was campus housing of some description. In the windows, students could be seen working on homework, talking with friends, and getting ready for bed. Where I stood, everyone had finished their earthly chores and would stir no more. As I observed this scene, it occured to me that there was a strong contrast between the two places and from this contrast came an important lesson.

It was as if I was looking through the eyes of those passed on as they observed young adults going throughout their day. I saw students staying busy as they focused on preparing themselves for tests and quizes and ultimately the world after college. Focused largely on themselves, most of the students were more likely to do what was better for them than to consider the feelings or well-being of others. Some probably claimed to be "in love" but most of the time in most of such relationships, the individuals motives and thoughts were most likely largely focused on themselves.

As I observed this scene, I began to wonder what those who had passed on might think of this scene. I tried to put myself in their position. If I was laying in one of those graves and could communicate with the living, what would I say. As I observed this scene, I was struck by the absurdity of most of our lives. We spend every day focused mostly on things that will help us the next day or at most in a few years. I wake up every morning and I work on and worry about school work, but when my time has come and I lay in a cemetary, what will that have meant? Doing well in school is not a bad thing, nor are most of the things we dedicate our time to. The problem is that we don't give any time to the things that matter. We dedicate very little time investing in others or helping them out.

After some time, I began to walk out of the grave yard and back onto the street, back into the world of the living and I wondered if anyone else felt the same way.