It was a pretty warm day and I had basketball training to attend to. The big game is coming soon and I definitely do not want to be unprepared. I still remember how my friends and I were so enthusiastic about this big day. It would be our first time participating in it and who knows, perhaps our passion might lead us down the road of an extraordinary life.
Yet, despite the warmth, I could see clouds gathering above the court I am at as if they were there to watch how the training goes. The wind cooled the heat of our sweaty skin and the gentle breeze that blew my hair made me feel like I can do whatever I want. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the breeze for a little while and tried preparing myself mentally just like how I do for every game I play be it a training or a real competition.
From afar, I could see my other friends sitting on the benches where the team has left their belongings mainly the water bottles, face towels and shoes. They were cheering and some of them were holding a few pieces of white paper which looks like lecture notes to me. I gestured, saying 'Hi' to them and they waved back. I was glad to see them. Sometimes, happy faces make me want to give more than 100% of effort.
I continued with training. One step to the right, then, quickly, to the left... One half turn, I continued dribbling the ball with my left, then, changed to my right. I ran past one, no... two defenders. I stepped with my right foot and took a leap and my right hand, tossing the basketball in the air, hoping that it will go in... *I could hear myself breathing deeply* Then I heard my team cheered. Way to go! It looked like a good start to the day for me.
After half an hour or so, coach asked us to take a time out. I thought I would never hear those words. I was already pretty drained. I walked towards my friends because that was where my things were. I grabbed my red water bottle and drank some water. Aaah.... How refreshing. Nothing beats a cool drink on a warm day. Then, my friend pulled my shirt. She pointed to her lecture notes and asked me, 'Hey, do you know what this is and what it does? Could you explain it to me?'
I looked and I read what was there. It was 3 pages long but everything summarized one thing. The notes may look different but the content was the same as mine. They were notes on Embryology of the Gastrointestinal System. I just read that last week but to my amazement, I recalled nothing about what she was asking. As I read the resources that she has, I tried to explain it to her in my own words just like I usually do. Before I could start, coach called us to get back into the basketball court.
He said, 'It looks like it's going to rain. So you should practice as much as you can before it actually does.'
Training started again and everything was as usual. The player on the opposite team fouled the ball and it was given to me to start. I stood and I looked at the ball in my hands. I see a few drops of sweat falling on the dirty orange ball. I bounced it a couple of times and then, I looked up. But, I did not know who to throw the ball to. I saw friends trying to get pass their defences and asked me to throw the ball to them but I could not decide. That's because I saw everything in black and white. I could not recognize my own team members either. The faces were unrecognized.
What was wrong with me?
The game had to go on, I simply threw the ball to the nearest girl who has been gesturing for quite a while. Assuming that she was in my team, I took that chance. She took the ball and she dribbled it all the way and scored. Another point, yay! But, I still could not explain what just happened. I shut my eyes tightly, bent down and hoped that it was just because the lethargy was getting to me plus the shadow of the clouds over our heads must have made me delusional. Coach asked me if I was okay and I just said that everything is fine. I stood up straight and tried to maintain composure. I looked ahead at where the road was, bright and sunny... It seemed to me that I see colours again.
I knew it. It was just in my head. But, it did not just end there. When I turned around to see my friends and see the game, it was in black and white. Coach called me out the team and put someone else in my place. He asked me what was bothering me that made me distracted. I hesitated to tell him. Had I told him, he probably would not put me on the team anymore and part of my dreams to play for in the big game would have gone down the drain. All the effort and time spent would have been for nothing.
Yet, I tried to slip in the question without him noticing that I was the one having the problem.
"Coach, have you ever felt like when you're looking at something under a shady place, all you see is in black and white? But when you look at something that's under the sun, there are colours in it?"Coach looked at me. He gave a smile. I tried not to look worried and looked up to him. While I waited for his answer, there was a moment of silence, a pause to everything that's happening around me. The thin tree that was slunting due to the wind blow remained slunted although there is no wind. Coach put his right hands on my left shoulder and said...
"If you see that, then, you must be dreaming. But, you're not dreaming, are you? Because then, you wouldn't be playing basketball."
Will trying to figure out what he meant, I began to lost the image of him and everything else that was around me. All I saw was a black background with nothing. I came to my senses and felt myself lying on something soft and my hands were holding something soft too. My legs were tangled up in something. My eyes opened abruptly like I was in shock and I found myself to be on my bed.
It was all a dream. But, was it just a dream or is there something more to that?
Unconsciously, we all take the ability to see colours for granted. I knew that I could not handle seeing things in black white even when it was just a dream. So, every time I wake up, I thank God, for my eyes and letting me see how beautiful things are. Books may not have the prettiest yellow but it's still yellow. My alarm clock may have the dullest purple mixed with a tinge of blue but I'm okay with that because I can see colours. =)
