Long ago and far away,
I dreamed a dream one-day,
And now that dream is here beside me!
Long the skies were overcast,
But now the clouds have past,
You're here at last!
Chills run up and down my spine,
Aladdin's lamp is mine,
The dream I dreamed was not denied me!
Just one look and then I knew,
That all I longed for long ago,
Was you!
Music and Lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Jerome Kern
He was only in his teens when he first saw her. She was the prettiest girl he ever saw. He tried to get to know her but he was rebuffed at every move. On top of being fed the wrong information by some of his friends who were looking to make a move on her themselves she just didn't seem interested in him.
Life was very busy for him then. He was playing ball. He was starting to get very active in music. Graduation from High School was a goal that was near but seemed unobtainable as he barely made grades that were passing. But he finally graduated, just barely. He was free to go after his dreams. Of course he had to get a job but that was only to mollify his mother. His real dream was music or sports. He was about as successful at his job as he was at his school work. However he was making some progress at music which necessitated his concentration to be in music as he abandoned his dream of baseball.
Playing a musical instrument even back then lent itself to groupies. He didn't have a shortage of girls. He had a very active social life and his music career while really not giving much money was progressing as he not only played, he composed and arraigned.
He seemed happy and absorbed in his life yet there was always the memory of that girl who wouldn't pay any attention to him. He started to drink and experiment with drugs. His social life became even more active. One might say he was content and happy. Yet there was this void he felt like a deep wound that wouldn't heal.
Then one day he spotted her walking along Fifth Ave., that same girl who had now become the most beautiful women he ever laid his bloodshot eyes on. What the hell he thought, I've got to chance it and approached her. He ran besides her and asked if she went to his high school and when she replied in the affirmative the game was on. She said she recognized him and seemed genuinely glad to see him. They walked and talked for a long time and he finally asked her out and she accepted. It was a whirlwind courtship which led to a quick marriage. He suddenly found out that a wife and children really couldn't wait for him to realize his dream since they all needed food, shelter and clothing. Little by little he gave up his dream and concentrated on earning a living which required him to return to night college in order to compete.
They were married many years and were entering that stage when both were asking themselves "If I had to do it all over again, would I?" She seemed to be tiring of him and he was beginning to feel that he lost the chance for dream fulfillment. He thought, "Could it be that she's falling out of love with me?". She was older but still very beautiful, lively and full of life. He became overweight and the lines in face gave evidence of his early life even though he long ago gave that part up. He felt he was losing her and that void he felt when he was younger was returning.
Then she became very ill. She contacted a long term disease that took many years to reach its conclusion. He tried to be the faithful caregiver. Even as she lost herself in the illness she became more beautiful. He realized the finality of this so when it came he was not devastated. Yet the void in his soul became greater. He could not play his music anymore but he listened and remembered. With each song a memory of their relationship was brought into vivid consciousness. Then he finally realized that they were not separated, she was still alive, in his mind, in his heart in the the great beyond. While they lived in different dimensions, if he didn't give up they could still be together, not in the same physicality but in the same spirit. And so the void started to close as he realized that the dreams he had as a young man were really chasing bubbles and the real dream was she. He realized while it was fun chasing bubbles it was better living life.
Long ago and far away,
I dreamed a dream one-day,
And now that dream is here beside me!
Long the skies were overcast,
But now the clouds have past,
You're here at last!
Chills run up and down my spine,
Aladdin's lamp is mine,
The dream I dreamed was not denied me!
Just one look and then I knew,
That all I longed for long ago,
Was you!
Music and Lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Jerome Kern
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