Your Waking Life

In the 2001 movie, Waking Life, the topic of dreams drive the story.  What are they; an escape from reality or reality itself? Waking Life follows the dream(s) of a young man and his attempt to find and discern the absolute difference between waking life and the dream world. While trying to figure out, a way to wake up, he runs into many people on his way; some of which offer one sentence asides on life, others delving deeply into existential questions and life's mysteries.  We become the main character as we follow along growing ever concerned that just maybe the trip is endless. It becomes our dream and our questions being asked and answered. Can we control our dreams? What are they telling us about life? About death? About ourselves and where we come from and where are we going? The film does not answer all of these for us.  Instead, it inspires us to ask the questions and find the answers for ourselves.
   As I age, I continue to refer back to that piece of film work. I do it because my waking moments are becoming ever so much more dreamlike while my dreams are beginning to take on more definable plots and continuity. In the movie the main character ultimately gives way to the possibility that the physical life has ended while his mental activity of dreaming continues on.
  How often have any of us been visited by the nightmare of forgetting an important test?  Or an appointment, or being naked in public?  Or how about hastily trying to get to a location where we're supposed to be and being delayed by an invisible slow-motion power pulling us back?  Sooner or later it is realized in a lifetime of busy day-to-to activity.
  I think about that whenever I read in the media where a celebrity left their children at a favorite restaurant, or strapped in the back of the family SUV. In the past I'd chastise the behavior for the irresponsibility of it all. Now, I'm not so quick to judge.  Especially when someone asks me how was my weekend and I can honestly not recall the details.  That is when I can relate to that awkward feeling of loosing track of my life.  Truth be told, I can't recall with much clarity the events of even a few days ago; I've tried.  If ever I am accused of a criminal act that had been performed on a specific day a year ago I will be prone to reply,
   "It could have just as well been me as anyone.  What physical evidence do you got?"
  If they come up with a bunch of my personal stuff, I guess I did it.  I'm more circumspect these days...maybe, I tell myself, if by practicing a little tolerant compassion with people who forget, that just maybe...just may-be, I'll get a glimmer of a similar treatment when my blunders begin to get really huge.