I have always dreamt of a day in the future:
I have dreamt of a day of resting by the gentle fire, with my hair grey and eyes full of sleep. As I feel my cheeks grow warm, I’ll remember something that only I will know. Something that raises the corners of my lips subtly. What I will remember would come from half a century ago, when I was in university––living my most daring years and meeting the most beautiful people.
Perhaps I’ll remember the first day of frosh when I stood amidst a sea of freshmen that shared the same anxiety and excitement as me. But most likely, I’ll remember the boy who sat on my right as we waited our turns for the introduction. This boy was the reason I wanted to attend every minute of frosh. During the last day of frosh week, we went to a beach party off-campus. I heard he was playing soccer, so I hopped outside to watch him play. It was the first and last time I saw him play soccer. With my tired old eyes, I might see him playing once again.
Maybe, I’ll remember the beautiful buildings UTM has, especially how peaceful and quiet they are at night. I still think the Instructional Building is the most impressive of them all. Glistening lights on the ceiling reflect from the floors and shine through the windows. But I’ll probably not remember that. I’ll remember the boy that sat right across from me at the wobbly table beside the window. He and I shared a conversation that lasted for hours; it didn’t feel like it would ever end, even after the last person had left the building.
Or, I might think of that one year working for UTM Residence. I made so many new connections and pushed myself to try so many new experiences. It became my busiest year, with endless workshops, meetings, assignments, and lectures. But I’ll probably be thinking about something else––the boy who made me toss and turn in my bed so many nights when I was alone. The boy that broke my heart when he told me he accepted a job, which required him to move out of province right after he graduates.
For so many college sweethearts, graduation might be one of the biggest threats to a relationship. But I wish for myself the best-case scenario, for how nice it must be, during that day in the future, to have someone to hold my wrinkled old hand.
