It's not common for children to think about being old, and it's not something I can remember ever pondering before my eighth year. But there was one night I had a dream I would never forget.
I saw myself as an old man in a place where people practiced a religion. The place had rock, cement or mud walls and had plenty of plants growing through it. I was the leader of this place and had spent many years there.
I approached a friend of mine who seemed to be about 20 years younger than I. "Please come with me to my patio. It is time for me to go," I said.
We arrived at the patio, just outside my living quarters, and I approached a large stone slab in the center. I instructed my friend to recite a certain prayer which I believed would help to keep my mind on the path before me. He began the prayer as I lie prone on my back.
Not long after closing my eyes I had a clear view of the patio area, only this time I was hovering what seemed like 12 to 20 feet above. As I looked down on the vine covered walls, my friend kneeled in prayer, and my corpse below, I remarked to myself how everything had an etheric blue light about it.
I knew where I was and was satisfied everything was going as expected. All I had to do now was turn around and the tunnel with the bright light at the end would be there. I was not disappointed. My next thought was that to enter the white light I need do nothing and allow my mind to be perfectly still. This I did and I gladly entered into the tunnel as I had been waiting so long for this moment.
Just as I was about to enter the bright light a voice spoke to me, "We need you." I replied that my time was up and I was ready to return to the light. "We need you," was the reply back. I again explained that I wanted a break from the world. "We need you."
At that point I knew there was no point in resisting as this would cause a conflict and I could not get through to the light anyway, so I volunteered to help.
Soon I found myself before a council of three beings. I could sense literally millions of other beings watching the proceeding. There, faceless beings who knew the greater plan were discussing my new role. I did not catch all the details, but I do remember them clearly stating that I would never be alone, that I would not be allowed to go astray, and that my needs would always be met. That was all I needed to know.
I then found myself in a holding area and I could witness several hundred years transpiring in the world below.
I soon appeared before another tunnel, only this one had artificial light at the end. I could hear screaming and I could see several people dressed in green, white walls, and shiny metal. The room I was looking into, however, was sparsely furnished. There was lots of bustle and it seemed as though I might have something to do with it.
Into the tunnel I went and the next thing I knew I was a little body being held upside down by a big man. A swift swat to my bottom and I was screaming. The other screaming in the room had stopped and everyone was a lot more relaxed. I was briefly shown to my new mother and then carried to another room.
Considering that I had never imagined that I would grow up to be an adult, I found this dream rather interesting even then.