PERCHANCE TO DREAM:

I used to watch him from across the room, across the office. Watch him work and watch him laugh and talk with the others. I used to watch him and wish and dream.

I kept my dreams, deep in my heart where no one else would see, where only I would know them.

When I closed my eyes I'd dream such wondrous dreams of him laughing with me and holding me and loving me.

And I dreamed…

And dreamed…

And dreamed.

But only when I closed my eyes. With eyes open no one could know of my secret dreams locked deep within me. To let them out where others could see would mean their sure and sudden death.

I watched him for weeks, for months. Watched and dreamed, dreamed and watched.

And I hoped…

And hoped…

And hoped.

Hoped my secret hopes and dreamed my secret dreams, for I was afraid. Afraid of pain, afraid of rejection, afraid, even of myself.

Then, one day something amazing happened. He saw me watching him and he came over to me. He laughed with me. He talked with me. He asked me why I'd never noticed him before.

And he told me that he'd been watching me. He told me that he'd been afraid I'd turn him down, afraid I'd hurt him.

And I laughed…

And laughed…

And laughed.

He'd been watching me while I worked, watching me while I laughed and talked with others. All the while dreaming secret dreams that I would notice him.

Forty years later we still dream and hope. We still hold our dreams deep in our hearts where they won't ever die. Dreams not for us but our children and our children's children.

And we dream…

And dream…

And dream.