A Case For Dreams Poem by Jason Lindstrom

Long, long ago, when I was just a boy
I found an empty case to fill with future joys
It was labeled 'A Case For Dreams'
And I packed it with many wonderful things

Like wild adventures and ruling the seas
And becoming the hero I knew I could be
I packed the seeds of great events
And glories that spring from dark laments

I had more dreams than my case would hold
No dream too trite, no dream too bold
But only the most sacred dreams could be placed inside
Room was scarce, so I packed with careful pride

When I left for school I brought my case
With every dream packed neatly in it's place
I didn't leave room for my college degree
But I knew earning it was my responsibility

I pulled a dream out of my case
It was the only way to make some space
I packed my degree and then pressed on
With one less dream to carry along

After college and well into my twenties
I found true love in a beautiful girl
I asked for her hand and she said 'yes'
I felt so very deeply blessed

I pulled a dream out of the case
To give my new young bride some space
Embracing my wife, I pressed on
With one less dream to carry along

I was blessed again, this time with child
Though filled with love my life was wild
I had less time to ponder dreams
And I focused more on family things

So I pulled more dreams out of my case
My time with kids required space
Now a proud father, I pressed on
With a few less dreams to carry along

With every new turn there were challenges to face
And times when I nearly dropped my case
Like the times when my job put a strain on life
Something had to give, but not my children or my wife

I had to pull more dreams out of the case
And even then, there was not much space
But my job paid the bills, and I pressed on
With fewer dreams to carry along

Then one morning I woke up old and gray
I sat in quiet reflection that entire day
My twilight years had arrived so fast
Had I been cheated as time flew past?

There was a gaping hole inside my heart
And it tore my aging mind apart
I had sought religion and searched for peace
I wanted approval, contentment… release

Nothing I earned or found could fill the hole
Not spirit, not family, not diamonds or gold
Observers would say my life was complete
But underneath it all, I felt a wicked deceit

I opened the case that was once filled with dreams
It was now filled with life's unexpected things
Among them a mountain of memories
Some good and some bad, but in all I was pleased

But, what of the many fine dreams I had lost?
And what have all of these memories cost?
So many times I had just pressed on
…with one less dream to carry along

And then I saw the twinkle from the bottom of the case
Could it be… still packed, neatly, in it's original place?
The first dream that I carefully placed inside
My dream to live fully and to enjoy the ride

Of them all, I was glad that this dream was fulfilled
Indeed, I had smiled over rocks, bumps and hills
I saw how my old dreams had shaped my life
And how they had inspired my kids and my wife

And for me this brought peace, and even a tear
That I dreamed a dream that made everything clear
My heart was repaired with my case full of joy
And I became, once again, like that little boy

(c) Jason Lindstrom, all rights reserved