Dreaming of Reality or the Reality of a Dream

I was walking in the woods near my house. I remember it perfectly. I can see the trees and the moon and the clouds forming in the distance. They are huge trees extending up as far as my four year old eyes could see. Each a perfect copy of its neighbor and all standing in perfect rows. There were lots of woods around my house in the early 70’s and I remember it all so clearly.

I remember walking home in these woods. I remember that it appeared as though I was not making any progress because of the similar appearance of each massive tree. Thunder began to erupt overhead as the forming clouds had come together and began their race with me home. They were winning.

I ran as hard and fast as my four year old legs could carry me. The trees rapidly became a huge brown blur in my peripheral vision. I only saw a tunnel of blurred trees leading directly to the back yard of my house. Overhead the storm exploded with rain, wind, lightning, thunder, and laughter.

I was looking at myself as a bolt of lightning stuck me on the top of my head. I saw it and the image is burned into my brain. I stood in the middle of the woods and stepped outside my body as I was struck with a bolt of lightning. I watched it happen and then returned only to wake up the next morning in my bed.

This story is a real dream I had as a child. The reason I am writing it is because I do still remember it as clearly as real events I had happen to me. It causes me to wonder about memory. I mean the woods are as real to me as the townhouse I grew up in or my day at work. They all only exist in my head right now. I know other people can confirm actions from work today, but what about those moments when I am alone? What besides my own memory can confirm those?

Remember that reality is only a moment long; everything else is memory or anticipation.