Life is like a coin.

You can spend it

Any way you wish.

But you can only spend it,

Once.

                         Lillian Dickson

We were returning home

From another marvelous vacation

On a lovely deserted back road

Through the gorgeous green wilderness

The scenery was majestic

The air was clean and fresh

We were alone - together

In Paradise

As we approached the bridge

It happened

It happened in the blink of an eye

And there was no time to react

The earth began shaking violently

Monstrous echoing rumbles pierced the canyon

Boulders began plunging off the cliffs

And the bridge began collapsing

Directly beneath our feet

Suddenly

We were careening

Through the air

To certain death

Suddenly

Our Paradise

Had quickly become

Our Hell

I clutched my wife’s hand

Whispered I love you

Closed my eyes

And prepared to die

Then I woke up

My worst nightmare

A premonition of my death

A glimpse of the Apocalypse

Or simply just a dream

I really don’t know

But I do know that now

Whenever I get in my truck

I picture that scene in my mind

And that collapsing bridge

I have always taken the back roads

On my numerous wanderings

Hither and Yon

And I always will

The scenery is gorgeous

There’s hardly any traffic

And it’s extremely peaceful

But I also often encounter

People places and things

That I have seen in my dreams

In real life

I have done so many times

And I’ve always considered it

To be a gift

I once encountered a strange traveler

In the deep dark woods

That I had met three days prior

In a dream

I once stumbled upon a rare gold coin

On a sandy beach in the Caribbean

That I had discovered

In one of my dreams

Several weeks before leaving on our trip

I once came home late at night

To find my deceased grandmother

Silently standing in my living room

Several nights after I had dreamt

That I was still a child

Happily playing in her flower garden

She never said a word

I wish she had

She just smiled at me

Then quickly vanished

But now I have to wonder

If this gift has become a curse

I wonder

And I have no answers

But I wonder still

Should I get a different truck

Should I not cross that bridge

If and when I do encounter it

Or should I simply accept fate

As I drive off

On yet another new day

In my truck

I wonder still

And it frightens me a little

But I also know

That I will continue

To journey down

These roads less traveled

Because they are somehow

Mysteriously etched

Deep within my heart and soul