by Paul Gingras

Created on: October 11, 2008

One night I dreamt there was a beautiful hotel with many floors. Each floor was connected by a spiraling central stairway. As I climbed the stairs of this hotel, the stairway became narrower and the ceiling height lower. Climbing each stair and landing became more labored and difficult.

My goal seemed simple enough; it was to get to the top floor of the hotel. As I approached the landing leading to the top floor, I encountered a ceiling that was so low that even crawling up the stairway on my belly was quite difficult. In the end, however, my labors did prove successful.

Once I got to the final landing, there was a button on the opposite wall. Pressing the button, increased the ceiling height, but any forward movement up the final stairway to the top floor proved extremely difficult. I felt confined and restricted by the narrowness of the passage. The ceilings and walls seemed to enclose around me and suffocate me.

Finally I arrived at the top of the stairway, where there was a large window spanning the wall across from the stairway landing. A vertical blind was drawn across the window blocking my view. Curious of the view from the window, I decided to open the blind to view the outside world. As I moved the blind, its screech was deafening and ear-piercing. I was afraid that it might attract attention, as I was not certain of the reason for my being here. But no one came.

I noticed some people loitering just outside the window. They were on a rooftop deck of an adjoining building below and to the right. It seemed to have some type of museum, which attracted a large number of people. As they filed past the exhibits, the attendees ogled many of the museum pieces. Joining them, I walked past the many exhibits. But I found nothing of interest, as they were relics of a past age: old pieces of industrial machinery, household appliances, and ancient electronics. All were stored in hermetically sealed glass display cases, which resembled coffins.

I eventually made my way through the museum and outside onto the city streets. They were dirty and crowded, but abuzz with people and activity. I couldn't help thinking: Did I find what I was looking for on the top floor of the hotel? The answer was a resounding "No!" I didn't. After the seeming hours of difficult labor, I found nothing of interest.

* * *

We spend an inordinate amount of time in vain attempts searching for fame, glory, and financial rewards, but in the end our attempts fail to fill the empty void within our lives.

What

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>