The Dream
We watched a Christmas movie on Hallmark this morning where a mother and daughter left California to return to Ohio and it was sort of traumatic for the daughter. I recalled the almost identical thing happened to me some sixty five years ago. We were living in Hollywood California and I attended Ramona Elementary School. I was shy when I first enrolled and as the years went by I became more comfortable, in spite of poor home conditions, and began to excel. I became a straight A student and had outstanding work habits and cooperation. I was rewarded by being chosen to raise the American flag on the tall pole each morning. I also was the official square dance caller for my grade. However, the finest reward of all was I was given the key to the ball box. There was this large wooden closet that held all the balls, bats, bases, nets for the various sports activities. And I was the only student allowed to do that in the fifth grade. I was soaring!
Subsequently, my mother informed me that we were moving back to Cincinnati Ohio. I was devastated. All of the work and all of the feedback for outstanding service were washed away. One night I had this dream. I was in a new school and with a new teacher and friends that I liked.
We moved back in June of 1951 and in the fall it was the beginning of a new semester and my grandpa took my cousin Dick and I to the first day of school at Hyde Park Elementary School. I was dreading starting over again at a new school after I had elevated myself to such success in my former school which had not been easy for me to do.
As we drove through the town we came around a corner and and I saw this tall brick building not unlike the one in my dream I had. In fact, it was the same building! I began to get goosebumps about this coincidence. When we got out of the car and entered the front entrance of the school it all seemed very familiar. As we walked down hallways I knew where they led. When we finally entered our home room my cousin began to introduce me to my teacher and I said I know her name and told him so. I also looked around the room and pointed out other children and I knew who they were as well. Both my cousin and I were blown away by this knowledge that I had and then I remembered the dream. Somewhere in Universe there was kindness and caring created for a ten year old so that he could feel secure in these new surroundings and flourish there as well! I wish you all beautiful dreams as well. From my heart to yours, Thomas