DREAMER

As I sleep, I will dream. I will dream about tomorrow. I will dream about the future. Because in my dream I could be whomever I wanted to be. In my dream there were no problems. No one shed tears, everyone is content. In my dream I am surrounded by my family, I am surrounded by my friends. There is food on the table. There is shelter above our heads, and beds for our warmth and comfort. In my dream I am smiling – I am happy. Away from the destitution of reality, the hardships of poverty – tonight, I will forget the day’s misery. I will break free from my problems, however briefly.

As darkness covers the night, I find myself in solitary. Suddenly all is quiet. There is no sign of anyone but myself. Suddenly there is peace. For a brief moment, my problems seems to have gone. I can hear myself thinking. I can hear my stomach rumbling. As I close my eyes, I remember every good moments in my life. I reminisce about the past, the days that had gone by – the good times. These memories keeps me sane, it keeps me hopeful. Away from the nightmares of reality, I dream of a better life. I dream that someday I could change my life for the better. Defeat awaits me it seems. But until that day comes, I will keep on dreaming. I am determined to try everything I can to make my dreams a reality. There is still hope. Sleep tight. Goodnight.

As I sleep, I am thankful. I am thankful for the people who cared enough to stop as they pass by these streets I call home. I am thankful that there are still people who cared enough to talk to me, and notice me – to notice us – us the unfortunate, us the insignificant. I am thankful for the people who cared enough to give, without expecting something back. I am thankful for the food I have eaten. I am thankful that I got through another day. Because tomorrow there is uncertainty. It is uncertain where I will sleep tomorrow. It is uncertain where I will work tomorrow, or if I will get work at all. It is uncertain if I will have something to eat tomorrow. It is uncertain if I will be able to wake up at all. Mortality it seems is within the horizon. But I hope when it’s over for me, I hope that someone will remember me. I hope that I have contributed something – somehow. I hope that my life is worth something. Tomorrow the constant battle for survival will start its cycle again. Forced by circumstances to play another game of life or death. But whatever tomorrow brings, I will embrace it with open arms. After all, that is the best I can do. This is my escape for the night, my escape from the world – escape from the reality of tomorrow’s morning. Tomorrow will bring the morning sun – another day for living, another day to be optimistic.

This was a short narrative I wrote from a year ago or so, based on a photo taken by Arnel Murillo. Photo credit Arnel Murillo.