Saturday, April 21, 2012

David

       Their once was a man named David. David was a brilliant man but misunderstood. He was a worldly man and traveled all over the world growing up. He saw many things most people never see, good things and also very bad. David was 27 years old but felt much older. He could see beyond what others could see because he had a broader perspective. David never fit in with his peers his intelligence left him finding most people insipid. He searched the world for meaning and purpose but could find none to speak of. At times he could see things other people could not. His strong sense of intuition left him realizing things about people most people would never notice. Some people thought he was a genius while others thought he was insane. For David what was difficult for most people was easy and what seemed simple he found difficult. He had a quite odd predicament. He lived in a world where he was not the same as others in his society but was expected to be. David felt very lonely not because he was without friends and family but because he knew nobody who was like him. Although other people thought of him as a friend he felt he had none.
David lived in a world where he was never without what he needed and did not desire more. He found simple tasks boring and looked for what was challenging to stimulate his mind. At heart he was an artist and loved beauty. David wanted to create beauty and share it with the world. He did not know how to create what he envisioned because it did not fit within the reality of the physical world he lived in and this often left him feeling sad. He had abilities others could not understand. He could feel the pain of others and wanted to provide some relief. His senses allowed him to transverse the physical world and tap into the spiritual. The power that held together the universe he could sense and feel. He could not let anybody know because if he did he risked institutionalization. He was forced to take medication to cure what he was told was a chronic malody within his mind. Schizophrenia and a Major Depressive Disorder was what he was told. He had taken medication for so long he did not know how he would be without it. He had a gift, he had much to offer the world but did not realize it.One day David had an experience that would change his life forever.
      One day a day no different than any other he took his medication as he was accustomed and went bed at 10:00PM. He brushed his teeth and lain down. He wore a mask to help him breath properly while he slept. He laid down and slowly drifted off to sleep.David found himself at the beach overlooking a cliff above the ocean. The sun was rising and he felt warm. He could feel the course sand on his feet. He looked down but could not see his feet. He came to realize he could not see himself at all. David could feel himself no different than any other time but could not see himself or any other living being. Suddenly David heard a voice loud and firm say,"David." David wondered who was speaking the voice sounded familiar but no person was visible. He heard the voice again and realized it was his father's but how could this be, his father had died a long time ago. The voice said," David I need to talk to you." David said,"How father you are dead and I cannot see you how is this possible?" David's father replied,"It is not, David you must realize what you see may not be real but what you don't see may be." David said,"Father what is going on, I must be dreaming." David's father replied,"Yes you are but dreams also have meaning and I have a message for you." David replied,"What message is that?" David's father said,"I can not tell you, you must see it and you will understand, but trust your feelings not your senses and son remember I love you and will look in on you from time to time." David said,"But how father you are dead?" David's father said,"You already know the answer to that question."
      David's senses began to become more attuned to his surroundings. He could not see his father and never could but he knew his presence was gone. Suddenly the ocean waves became stronger and stronger. The ocean raised back collecting itself preparing for one enormous wave. David was shocked he had never seen anything like it.The crest of the wave pulling back must have been the size of a skyscraper. The water pulled back and stood still. The wave would be a tsunami if it hit the ground and everything including David would be swallowed by the ocean. The wave then crashed down sweeping away everything. David thought he would be washed away and closed his eyes before the water touched him.David then felt nothing when he reopened his eyes he was somewhere else entirely.
      David opened his eyes and as if in the blink of an eye he was somewhere far different than he had ever been before. He looked around and it was dark. He could see only slightly as if by moonlight. His surroundings where empty and David could see his body and it appeared almost transparent. Nobody was there, nothing was there. David heard a loud noise the crashing of a thunder bolt in his vicinity, the wind began to stir violently. David felt strange as if he was floating off the ground. The ground slowly moved into the distance and David found himself flying. He left the area he was in and flew toward the sky and saw a light in the distance away from the planet he was on. David followed the light for what seemed to be a long time. David soon found himself in front of a castle. David entered the castle and realized it was somewhere he had been before. Then he saw somebody he recognized. He saw his best friend from childhood named Ezekial. David had not seen Ezekial since he was 10 years old. Ezekial spoke to David saying,"Hello friend." David replied, "Ezekial what is going on?" Ezekial said,"I am here to show you something, follow me." David followed Ezekial into a street he had been to before. David saw something he had seen before a man lying in the street appearing to live there. The crowded street was full of people and a old man was laying against a building asking for help everybody who walked by. Nobody stopped and most acted as if he did not exist. Not an uncommon thing to see in a large US city. David walked closer to see the man. He realized the man was older version of himself. David said,"What is going on, Ezekial?" Ezekial replied,"This could be you in 30 years given the right circumstances." "But why?" David said. Ezekial answered," This could be you or you could be something else the future is not decided." David said,"Why are you showing me this?" Ezekial answered,"So you will be aware every choice you make determines your future.Now follow me I have something else to show you. Ezekial led David to a room in the castle and a television and said,"Watch."
      On the television David saw himself thirty years older being reported on by the news. David realized he was feeding the poor and hungry on television. He was on television speaking about how he was blessed in life and wanted to give something back. Ezekial said,"That could be you just as easily." David said,"Ezekial what are you trying to tell me?" Ezekial said,"David anything is possible and it is not all about you. You are just a person and what you saw was yourself but it is also anybody and everybody. Nobody's fate is determined you or anybody else could end up in either scenario. You where just bothered because what you saw was yourself."
       David for a moment was lost in thought. He asked Ezekial,"Why are some so blessed while others are made to suffer?" Ezekial said,"That is a good question but I have completed my task, the answers to your questions will come in time but not all can be told, some answers must be seen, others felt, and some experienced. Now I must go." David saw Ezekial walk away and slowly vanish into nothing. The walls of the castle began to collapse into sand. David was surprised at how quickly everything changed. He found himself in a hot desert with the sun radiating above expelling heat. The heat must have been over 100 degrees fahreheit, not that hot for a desert, but much hotter than David was accustomed to. No water was in sight only sand that seemed to extend forever. No sign of life was in sight either. David suddenly felt very alone and a little afraid. David wondered what comes next.
     Within the dessert the heat suddenly changed to cool and day became night. David stared into the stars as he often did and felt very small. A transparent figure emerged before him and began to speak. "David, I carry a message for you," said the being. David said,"Who are you?" The being said,"I am you, I am your subconsience you must begin to trust me." David said,"What do you mean?" David's subconsciense said,"You must wake up. Wake up.
      Suddenly David awakened and realized he had been dreaming but remembered everything in detail. David felt disturbed and began to contemplate things. His father, his friend Ezekial, and himself spoke to him. What could David take from this. He always saw people as equal and did not look down on anybody. He always believed anything is possible. As for eternity he was at a loss. After death he believed something else was out their but did not know what. Sometimes he thought he may wake up and what he thought was his reality was in fact a nightmare. He often viewed the world as a cruel, dark, place that does not show mercy. He often felt the fear of confusion, the fear of insanity. Surely nobody could understand or could they. David often looked around and thought their was a god but he left this place a long time ago. The place he lived lacked hope in his opinion.
        David got out of bed and stood on his porch watching the sun rise. The light radiated through the sky and brought a twinkle in his eye. If things where so cruel and dark how could such beauty exist David thought. David felt little pleasure in life but enjoyed learning. His formal education was not that advanced. Some college no degree but David educated himself. He read often and took interest in matters that do not concern the average american. He also enjoyed doing research on anything and everything. For a split second things made perfect sense within David's mind but quickly vanished as if it never occurred. David realized this is not the ending but instead the beginning.
      David got dressed, ate some cereal for breakfast, and drank some coffee to begin his daily routine. He left his house and got in his car to go to work. He pulled out of his drive way and drove out of his neighborhood onto the highway. He was disturbed and could not help thinking about his dream from the night before. Suddenly David heard the skidding of tires and noticed the car in front of him had come to a complete stop. David realized he had no time to stop before hitting the car and attempted to swerve around it. David's tires began to squeal and he lost control of his car. The car went off road and collided with a tree. The impact jolted David and he hit his head on the steering wheel. He was not unconscious  but was light headed out of it and a bit in shock. The lights became bright in his eyes and all he could hear was the distant sound of an ambulance. David was not experiencing pain but was drifting into the abyss. David always suspected oblivion may lie after death but was proven wrong.
         David heard a lot of noise and felt as if he where floating. The lights blended together and he could hazily see he was surrounded by people. For a moment everything stopped and David began to float toward the ceiling and found himself alone on the ocean walking on the water and he was barefoot clothed in two pieces of cloth. He saw a light and felt warm and drawn toward the light. The light appeared very far away and David could hardly believe what was happening. He felt as if he where experiencing another dream.
        Suddenly he was back in the room floating surrounded by people. He heard a voice, a sweet voice. It said,"David when will you decide what to believe. Reality is merely what your senses tell you that you see, hear, and feel. Their is much beyond that. The universe is infinite, as you know nothing is impossible, what you have experienced is a very small part of existence. You must learn to love beginning with God and yourself. Once you have learned to love your horizons will expand to much more and beyond."
       Then everything became quiet into slumber and bliss. Then David awoke to find himself in an intensive care unit within a hospital. He was covered in bandages and had a headache. A young nurse entered his room and asked David,"Do you know where you are, do you know what has happened?" David responded,"I am in a hospital and have been injured." The nurse said,"You are right you where in an accident, your heart stopped beating for 3 minutes the doctors where able to recesitate  you, you are lucky to be alive. How are you feeling?" David answered,"My head hurts and I feel weak." The nurse responded,"You are on pain medicine but I will tell your doctor, my name is Jackie let me know if you need anything." David thanked the nurse as she exited the room.
      David began to contemplate on recent events and felt grateful to be alive. David thought why is all this happening? What could this all mean? All this began to intrigue him the emotional pain and sorrow he often felt was not present. Instead a physical throbbing in the head. He felt empty and burdened by the events of the day.
      David was given medication and fell into a deep sleep. His worries and fears where relieved as he rested. He  began to dream again in a trance like state. He found himself in Russia standing before the Kremlin one man stood before him. David did not know him. The man appeared different wearing the uniform of some type of foreign military. He was clean cut and well groomed. He had a strong aryan jaw and looked a bit like David's grandfather in the face. The man spoke in unaccented american english. He said,"Hello David, I carry a message for you." David answered,"Who are you I do not know you?" The man replied,"Does it matter? Am I not what you expect? David replied,"You have the appearance of a foreigner but speak like an american. I find that strange. The man said,"Appearances can be deceiving, technology has made the world a smaller place most people are able to communicate with each other from around the globe. Although I may be different, Am I not the same?" David was perplexed by this comment. The man was right people are the same in may ways, worshipping god as they understand him, pursuing happiness. By inhabiting the same planet we are connected whether we like it or not. David realized this but had never thought about it before. David said,"What message do you carry for me?" The man replied,"You already know the answer to that question." David replied,"How do you know what I think?" The man replied,"Not all laws of the physical world apply to different states of conscienseness nor to the universe at large. Where we are I know your thoughts." David said,"But how, who are you?" The man responded,"Who I am is not important only the message I carry is." David responded,"But why is the message important?" The man replied,"Because it matters. Now I must go." The man turned around walked away and vanished into thin air. Apparently the message was things are not always as they seem. Assumptions can be dangerous. People in many ways are the same but still very different. No two people are the same. That is the way we where created. David began to wonder if he was tripping from the drugs or coming to a higher understanding of things. The things he had been told today where things he knew in his heart to be true but had neither cause nor reason to reflect on ever before. David began to wonder does everything happen for a reason?
       David awakened in his hospital bed and began to have a headache. He wondered if it was a result of thinking to much or the impact of the car accident. He felt fear realizing everything he has known in his life could vanish in an instant. Life is fragile and ultimately temporary. If so and god held him accountable how would he be judged on the day of judgement? David is human and vulnerable carrying no power in himself nor invincibility. He felt compassion but had no love. He had not done wrong intentionally nor had he been great help to others. If the life he had led was lacking good it was not intentional but ultimately he is still responsible. These thoughts troubled David greatly but he was still grateful to be alive, he still had the opportunity to change. The events of the day taught David something. His life was empty and he was the only person with the ability to change it.
     Suddenly, David began to feel great pain. His heart was beating rapidly. He was feeling light headed and drifted into darkness. Then he was attracted toward a light and day became night. Surrounded by darkness he felt fear. Lost and could not find his weigh out. Pondering the events of the day it occurred to him that it had not been pleasant in the least. David found himself in a dark scary place that was cold and damp and nothing could be seen.
     Within minutes David realized he was no longer in this world. He had heard of hell but thought it was flames. He wondered if he was their alone, cold, dark, and scared. David wondered if any hope existed for him at this point. What where his messengers telling him? That things where not as they seemed. Perhaps the entire day had been leading up to this. David did not feel he had lead a bad life but in retrospect he could have done more. How much is enough? What good must we do? David felt no love in his life only sadness and being misunderstood but he did not do bad either. David's mind became very troubled by these thoughts.
    The messengers had told him their is hope but how could not be gone. What sort of punishment could this be? David lost track of time alone with his thoughts realizing in this place time did not exist. He questioned whether he still existed and what state of being he was in.