Lost In The Echo

Hey all! This is a short piece that I originally wrote in June 2015. Considering the potential year ahead, I thought I'd share it with you guys today. It was originally a satire of sorts, but I've decided to keep it more grounded and determined to reflect 2016. Bring it on! - Will

LOST IN THE ECHO - BY WILL POWELL

I know some people who say that don't or can't dream, and whenever they drop this life-altering bombshell upon me, I find myself filled with pure sadness and unspeakable grief. To dream is to lose yourself in a world of pure imagination, a world that can exist to you and you alone. In my humble opinion, to dream is to truly live.

My dreams are often the same. I fall into a deep slumber every night, and a bright and vivid universe suddenly becomes mine to play in. The routine very rarely changes, with me as the multi-millionaire with the mansion and stunning wife to boot. I drive fast cars that I don't know the name of, and hang around with A-List celebrities who probably don't even exist in the real world. The soundtrack to my life is one of bliss and a carefree attitude, and that's only because it encompasses the lifestyle that I live every day of my life.

I drink only the finest beers and whiskey exports from around the world, and have two beautiful children to shower my attention and love on. I work for a massive financial firm in London, and wear only the finest waistcoats. Naturally, I have to look the part, and nothing screams sophistication and class than a good waistcoat. Black or grey, it goes with almost anything, and looks phenomenal. I can't help but catch looks from strangers and passers-by, all wishing they could look as stylish in one as I do, but I take it as a blessing. I visit Starbucks daily and everybody knows my name, and those who don't can tell I'm well-off. Being the generous man that I am, I always tip the hard-working waitress behind the counter. After all, this is my world, and I can do as I please.

Then there's my loving family, who all look up to me as a pillar, as their rock. I made something of myself, I am the definition of the word success, and everybody is proud of me for it. When I'm not busy working or looking after the children, I take my wife out to the most luxurious restaurants, stay at the Hilton and are usually up all night making the most of our free time together. My parents cherish my visits each weekend, and the friends who have been there with me from high school all want to hang out whenever they can, and I enjoy their company all the same. They have jobs and lives to lead too, but I know that spending time with them plants my feet firmly on the ground, with us all discussing the good old days and our memories together.

Just as I think life couldn't get any better, it all gets turned upside down. The colourful and vibrant world I live in turns into a dull shade of grey. As I look around, everything starts to disappear in rapid succession.

The financially secure job is done and dusted. The work hard-play hard lifestyle becomes nothing but an illusion. The beautiful wife fades into obscurity, and our two children who are my rays of sunshine are no longer there for me to love.  My parents are suddenly going in opposite directions. The mansion gets repossessed along with everything inside, and my bank account reads overdrawn. The fast cars all get taken away, and those A-List celebrities turn out to be just another face on the street. I am utterly powerless to stop any of this from happening, and in the blink of an eye, everything spirals out of control.

Then it hits me like a slap to the face, the harsh reality of it all - I've woken up.

I'm 24 years old, and I think I'm going insane. I think this because I once read that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results. So why is it that I go to sleep every night and somehow believe that my fantasy world will suddenly spring to life?

The truth of the matter is, I work in a job that pays really well, but I'm often broke because of my overspending. I live at home, and often spend my evenings enjoying my own company, save for a special occasion or night out. I don't have a wife, hell I don't even have a girlfriend. I don't have any children to cherish and I certainly don't have a fast car. I don't know any A-list celebs personally and I'm pretty sure if I did, they sure as hell wouldn't want to know me.

So, when people tell me they can't or don't dream, I feel like crying a thousand tears.

I'd hate to know that all I had in life was the one that I'd been given. Without being able to dream, every night I'd have to face up to the truth that this is all I have, and this is all I will ever have.

When I dream, I have everything I ever wanted... while in reality, I have absolutely nothing.

No wonder I never want to wake up.

That feeling of dread and bleakness forces me to do better though, honestly. It forces me to push myself harder, faster. Turn my dreams into reality, one day at a time. However, as each year passes, I grow more disgruntled, more frustrated… but more determined.

Life gives me two very easy choices every single morning when I wake from my slumber.

I can either let my dreams fade into obscurity, let everything I strive to achieve get lost in the echo of everyday struggles.

Or I can fight. I can fight for everything I want out of life, and when it tries to kick me when I’m down, I can swing back, daring it to come at me with everything is has.

My eyes are open.

Time to fight.

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