I am he as you are he as you are me...

I had a dream last night that I believe was a continuation of a dream I had a couple of nights ago. The original dream was set in a courtroom, and I was testifying against a man who had snuck into my apartment. Apparently, I had returned home from school, and when he heard me opening the door, he jumped into the bathtub, where he remained for 27 minutes. Once I was in the middle of making dinner, he crept out the front door without taking anything, hurting me, or making a sound. I was confused as to why I had to testify against him.

Last night, I dreamt that the court was back in session, and midway through the proceedings, the judge decided to conduct an experiment. He decided to try to go back in time to that day when the man was hiding in my bathtub. This way, if I caught the man in the act of home invasion, it would be easier and quicker to get him behind bars. Why not? I figured. So, as I walked into my apartment that afternoon, knowing the man was hiding there, I tried to go about my routine in the same way I had before; however, as I walked into the bathroom, the man threw his arms into the shower curtain and began suffocating me with it. I ended up waking up mid-suffocation, my body tense, and I could feel my lungs and my vocal chords struggling with the coordination to cry out for help. I went to sleep very quickly after that, but the entire thing makes me very curious.

*

I feel so distraught right now, as if I should be sobbing, but I can't find a way to form a tear. I just finished watching the movie "Seven Pounds" with Will Smith, and it was one of the most powerful films I have seen in a very long time. I won't ruin the end because I think you should see it immediately; this man, despite his pain and despair, wants nothing more than spend his life helping people. It's strange how prevalent the message of that movie is in connection to things I've been thinking about lately. I think it is so important that we each do something in our lives that benefits someone else. Whether that be one person, ten people, or hundreds of people, that is up to the individual; nevertheless, acting selflessly is something that very few people actually practice, and it's a shame. The Pintupi (an aboriginal Australian group) base their entire life's philosophy on maintaining friendships and bonds between those who are close. A "relative" is someone who one cares about and has spent a lot of time with, not necessarily someone who is blood related. I read a quote in one of my textbooks that said "'Money is the main thing for whites; they don't worry who will cry for them when they die,'" and that really struck a chord for me. We tend to get so caught up in our monetary lives that we overlook the things that should take precedence. These things we tend to call "the little things," when in reality, they are quite far from it.

Please, think of someone who you appreciate, love, respect, or admire, and let them know how you feel. Cherish the love and happiness that you have in your life! Those "little" gestures usually pack the biggest punch; if you care about someone, why would you keep it inside? That one action could very well make more of an impact than you may ever know! Without wealth, status, materials, or ego, all we have is each other, and that should be of the utmost importance. We are all together.