The Dream
Every night I lie awake and wonder, what went wrong? For hours my mind feels like it is in overdrive, retracing every step I have taken, until it leads me here. Each night it leads me to the same place. A dream. But not just any dream. A dream of things to come.
Each night my mind is full of doubts. Full of hopes. Full of fear. Fear of the unknown. Of things to come and of things that have come to pass. But one thing remains amidst all the doubts, hopes and fear. Just one thing; a photograph. Between the unknown and the known, there is a photograph. A black and white photograph. A photo of a future.
A man, standing, one arm around his wife. The wife cradling her young daughter in her arms while her twin boys cling to their mothers legs. Her children from previous relations grown up. Her eldest daughter perusing medical school. Her eldest son, entering college with high honors. Her second son and daughter finishing high school, both with great futures in store. Her youngest two daughters, looking forward to high school and the unlimited possibilities to explore.
A house in the background catches my eye. Instantly bringing me inside. There’s something wrong. Something too familiar about this home. I’ve seen it before. This layout, number of rooms. I know this home, I designed it. A simplistic L-shape with a warm welcoming porch. A large kitchen and dining on the left opposite an equally large living room. The second floor brings more surprise. Eight bedrooms, all equal in size, all filled with the children’s belongings. Then the master bedroom, laid out exactly as was drawn on paper. A large room with two big closets and separate baths.
Where did this house come from? When was it built? For whom was it built? How could it be when the designs are still hand drawn as noting more than sketches? What time is this photo set in; the near or distant future? Is this my future? Am I the man in the photo? If not, then why is this image burned into my mind, my dreams? Why do I wake to this image every morning? Is it prophecy or blind hope?
That black and white photo, but why?