Every morning, for at least the last two weeks, I have awoken remembering my dreams (at least until I forget them later in the day). And for me, they are always extraordinarily realistic, and, ironically, seem to tell coherent believable stories. I always wake up disoriented, and have to readjust from dream to reality. It doesn't strike me as normal. Yet it's peculiar and fascinating.

Thursday night I dreamed a story similar to the movie, "The Shawshank Redemption", except very clearly set in a modern-day prison, and without the prison break. I was found guilty of another man's crime -- a young man with wealth and enough family resources to pin his non-murder activities upon me. The judge and jury sent me to lock-up, and the other man went free. In prison, however, I managed to retain my Jon Baas character -- my personality, my attitudes on life, my optimism -- and I soon became well liked (and respected) by my fellow inmates and guards alike. I even had countless opportunities to witness my Christian faith to those around me.

Every week day, I was allowed out of this facility on "work-release" to pursue employment with an upstanding family who owned a small, yet successful greenhouse/gardening business. I assisted with the many tasks around the business, and then returned to lock-up every night. The family took me under their wing, considered me an "adopted son", made me part of their family activities while I was out (on release). One of their daughters (my age) even took a liking to me, and a simple romance seemed to be brewing (with the father's approval even!). I was a product of bad circumstances, yet I made the most of them.... and ended up affecting the lives of those I came in contact with.

...And then I woke up. The story never finished.

It was an extraordinarily real dream -- as all of my dreams are. Yet also one that makes me think of the blessings given to me, and how even the little things enhance my daily life and the lives of those around me. It was also a dream that could very easily have been a successful Christian-themed movie, or even a film like those you'd see on the Lifetime or Hallmark channels on TV.

I've gotten to the point where I'm actually looking forward to the next night's dream (I rarely have bad dreams, although, when I do, they're just as real). It's like visiting a different world or reality while I sleep.

Maybe I'm odd. Maybe I have a strange sense for things like this. Or, maybe I just have an extraordinarily creative imagination that runs free while I sleep. I don't know. Whatever the case, I seem to have a brain that likes to tell stories. And that never ceases to fascinate me!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 7:30 PM  I   I  0 comments