Captivity in freedom

This morning I was reminded of a dream that I had a few years ago. In the dream I was walking down a sidewalk with a man. Somehow I knew this man's past and future. Without being told, I knew that when the man was born, he had been immediately bound to a chair. He grew up in shackles of iron. But this man had been freed from the chair - liberated. It was clear. Since I found myself walking with him, he was obviously free to walk, even run. To live. To move. To dance!

Sadly, I also knew his future. I knew that he was on his way back... As we walked and talked I could not hear the conversation because all of my attention was distracted by the knowledge that although he'd been freed from the chair, his every intention was to go back to sit in the chair, broken shackles and all. On this day, it was his choice. On some days he returned carelessly out of habit. There were also days when he wanted desperately to stay out of it, but felt driven to return. And, although he couldn't put it into words, that chair had become a comfort to him despite the terrible nature of his former captivity there. His farewell to me was cheerful... but only on the surface.