Awakening

After 19 long years I am finally awake. The sleep that has held me captive slips away and I behold the most beautiful sight I have ever seen.
         The sky is on fire as the sun struggles to stay alive, dragged kicking and screaming into the crystal blue Caribbean Sea. The warm ocean breeze caresses my skin, soft and tender, like a lovers touch. The air is alive with the hushed tones of the distant music rolling out to me from the beach.
         All my life I have dreamt of being somewhere like this, and now I'm here. I could never have imagined two months ago that I could be here in Cancun, Mexico, sitting on this pier watching the gentle waves lap up against the pilings. Fishermen are displaying their catches for the day, and the stars are creeping into the sky.
I stand and face back towards the shore mesmerized by the perfection in front of me. The beach is slowly being illuminated from the torches and lamps from the local hotels and restaurants. The last of the tourists have abandoned the sand for the safety and security of their homes away from home. The bare expanse of shoreline is broken only by a few stragglers and a group of travelers busily building a bonfire in front of the hostel. The emptiness is so inviting, it is as if I can hear my very soul.
I walk along feeling the warm sand between my toes. Life is being breathed back into the beach, Fire Eaters and Jugglers, perform for tourists in restaurant balconies. Serenades by roaming musicians fill the air, and the bonfire is starting to take shape.
The closer I draw to the beacon these wayward adventurers have built, the greater the feeling of passion and energy all around me. Standing there are the young and old from every corner of the globe, each with their own unique story and dreams. If you look into their eyes you can see what they have seen, maybe you can even see when first they awoke. These are my brothers and sisters, my fathers and sons, strangers, who will know me in ways no one else ever has.
Soon I will get to know these people and their tales, but not tonight, tonight is mine. This is my dream; I'm writing my own narrative.
I make my way to my bunk in the grand hall, an eerie quiet surrounds me. Everyone is outside enjoying the bonfire and the company of their fellow brethren.
I'm exhausted; it's been a long days, and maybe life's, journey, to arrive here. I lie down on the soft cot and feel the undeniable pull of sleep dragging me under. As my eyes close, and I slip into dream, I hear the music and the myriad of conversations outside my window, and I know nothing will ever be the same again. I fall asleep knowing I am awake for the first time.