Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Nice Dream: Getting Baptized? Me?


Ok, everybody has crazy dreams and I am no exception. Most people have crazy dreams about sex or vacations or whatever, not me. I never have those dreams. I have dreams like the one I am about to tell you: getting baptized. Yep, baptized, me, again, stupid. Fortunately I do not read too much into my dreams, but if you want to tell me what you think it means, knock yourself out. Here it is:

The dream begins with a memory, the memory of me telling my parents that I wanted to be baptized, again. Time kind of skips forward in the way time does in dreams. It is a few weeks later and my family, obviously thrilled with my decision, has planned a big celebration. They have invited every member of my extended family. This really stresses me out because, as it turns out (prepare to be shocked), I DO NOT WANT TO BE BAPTIZED! I was literally stressed in the dream, talking to myself, interrogating this unfortunate situation. “Why would I tell my parents I want to be baptized? I have not been going to church. I have no desire to go to church. Was I drunk? What the hell is going on here?” I say to myself repeatedly. (Is it still crazy to talk to yourself in a dream?) Then it occurs to me, the only possible solution, is that I never said anything about getting baptized to my parents. It was all a bad dream (yes, this was what I thought during my dream). What a relief, now I can relax.

Soooo, a little time passes and it is a Saturday and I go to my parent’s house. Low and behold, all my family is there, waiting. Great, it’s real!

Well, I am officially stressed again. Every one is congratulating me on my tremendous and courageous decision. Now I will be able to join them in the top level or some B.S. Something has to be done, immediately. I come to the conclusion that I just have to come clean and tell everyone that I, in fact, do not want to be baptized.

First, I decide to tell my parents. They do not seem surprised or upset. They decide that it would be best if I was the one to inform the rest of the family as well. So I walk out into the main room where everyone has congregated say “I thank you all for coming out today. I really appreciate it and it means a lot me that I have such a caring family. I am afraid there has been some miscommunication though. I actually do not have any intentions of getting baptized today, tomorrow, or ever. Thanks.”

That sucked. I am getting out of here. I go out to the garage, get on a mountain bike and leave. My dream ends with me riding this bike.

I actually woke up feeling stressed, weird.

4 comments:

Michelle said...

Once I had a dream that Leonardo DiCaprio, Kelly Clarkson, and I were all involved in an Italian mafia situation. It ended with me being baptized in a Mississippi creekbed. Who knows what these things mean? Really, I just wanted to use this as an opportunity to share my story, not comment on yours. Sorry. :-)

Anonymous said...

Scary dream. Mainly because you went the way of the world.

Pretty Sad. Hope you think you enjoy life because you really don't understand it at all.

Chris Tittle said...

So, anonymous, who are you really. Are you the holy ghost?

And I do enjoy life. I have a wonderful son that I love and I have a deep respect for all things in this world. I also try to not judge others on their beliefs, but it can be difficult when there are so many religious fanatics imposing their will on people. All I know is that I am not worried about my soul one bit. But, anonymous, why don't you buck up a little courage and come save me. Then when you judge me it will be a favorable light and god will be happy with the work you have done saving yet another lost soul.

Jake Garn Photography said...

To anonymous: though I am a church goer, much like yourself it seems, I do not believe that accounts for the state of my soul one iota. Nor does it have any bearing on where my allegiance lies, to the world or to God. Being true to yourself, and your beliefs through and through and treating others with kindness no matter what is exactly the teachings of the God we both serve, and I can tell you from personal experience that Tittle has that area of his life covered. It's the hypocrisy you've shown in two simple lines that drives so many people away from church meetings of any type. Reflect on the sadness of that for while. Quoting Al Pacino in Scent of Woman, "I have seen this man's soul and it is intact, and non-negotiable."