For about the last six months or so, I've really been pushing the idea of nonsexual nudism. I'm so for the idea these days that it has come up regularly during Daniel and I's conversations lately. At one point during a recent conversation, I made the comment to him that "lately when I heard people say nudism was 'icky' my response is really? I look at nudism as the second great equalizer."
His response came without hesitation, and with a grin from ear to ear! "Well, then you're 2/3 a nudist...the other 1/3 is your clothes! 
"
He's right, but that conversation is only a piece what I wanted to share with all of you here. Before I dive into the meaning of the title of this post, I'd like to stongly encourage all of you to read this. Even though I'm going to do my very best to give all of you a clear mental image of what I was thinking and feeling after this event that I'm about to talk about took place, the image will probably be even sharper if you read the above piece first.
I really, really hope that you've at least taken a time to glance at the above piece. If not, and all your doing is relying on what I'm about to tell you, then all I can say is I hope I can convey how much this event that took place really truly meant to me. Now that I've given you what is probably far too long of a preface according to some, I'm going to dive in in just a few seconds here, and hopefully when I come out on the other side of the swimming pool, it will all make sense. If any of you have any questions in regards to my thoughts and/or feelings on this subject, please, please, please don't hesitate to ask! The only way some of us will ever live in what we consider to be a perfect world is if those of us who promote nonsexual nudism keep spreading the word that there is no reason that we should ever, ever, ever, ever, ever be ashamed of our bodies, and what God gave us!
On the night of the 24th, I ended up having to go to bed much earlier than I had wanted to because my butt was extremely sore and there was nothing I could do for it that made it feel any better except completely take all of the pressure off of it. The only way I can successfully do that is to go lay down, although I was nowhere near ready to actually go to sleep. After I was all settled into bed, I turned on the radio, which is already preset to my favorite station. I laid there for probably a good 3 1/2 hours staring at the ceiling and listening to the sappy love songs and dedications that went along with them. There came a point during this span of time that I thought I was never going to drift off into dreamland because I just simply wasn't tired. However, as we all know, if we wait long enough, and allow our brains to quiet enough, sleep will eventually come. This night was no different...sleep, and dreams did eventually come.
When the dreams started coming, I started out dreaming about things that I usually dream about on a pretty consistent basis. Chan and I someday having a future together, being held until the sun comes up, meeting Daniel in person, etc. etc. etc.. All things that are almost getting too repetitious for me these days. Let's face it, they're all probably things that I won't be able to do anything about for a while, if ever.
The final dream I was having before I awoke though, was one I could handle having every night, and I wouldn't get annoyed or bored with it very easily. It was a dream in which the temperature was perfect, right around 75°. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, and all you could hear with a gentle breeze flowing through the giant pine trees that felt like they were sitting miles and miles above my head. In this particular dream, I wasn't using my wheelchair, but instead I was sitting at the edge of a pool with my feet dangling into the chilly, yet refreshing, crystal clear, almost endless water. Sitting right next to me on the ledge of the pool was the book I was very very close to finishing. On my head were the headphones that I was using to finish that very intriguing book, which just happened to be called Vanish. So, now that you know that I remember almost every aspect of this dream detail for detail, I bet you're probably wondering if I remember what I was wearing in this particular dream. The answer: yes, I do, very well in fact. I was wearing absolutely nothing, not even underwear! I was completely nude, and more comfortable and at peace than I have ever had the opportunity of being in the waking world.
That's exactly why the title of this entry is "A dream of freedom". The only sad thing about this dream? Well, actually there is two sad things about this dream. The first is that it had to end so abruptly, the second is that it had to end at all!
I've said this so many times before, and I'm sure by now some of you feel as though I'm becoming a broken record! The only reason I keep repeating it though, is because I feel like maybe if I say it enough times, the right person will hear it or see it, and help me and all the other nudists around the world take action. Let's try taking our clothes off for something other than sexual activity!
Don't get me wrong, I really truly do realize that the fear of nudism when it doesn't relate sexual activity is the fault of society as a whole. No one individual can or should be blamed for thinking that nudism for any other purpose than sex is "icky". I also realize that one person probably isn't going to make that big of an impact on an issue like this, and when you're a nudist, living in a society with a whole bunch of people who were trapped in the textile world, explaining to them the freedom and liberation that comes along with being a nudist can seem pretty daunting.
I think I have a solution though that may bring us one step closer to living in the perfect world some of us can only dream of now. The solution is going to require all of the nudists around the world to band together and fight for what we believe it. It's my hope that one day when I get ready to have kids I'll be able to tell them that they don't have to wear clothes if they don't want to, and they will still be accepted and loved by society just as everyone else is. I want to eventually see and maybe be a part of creating a clothing optional camp for individuals with disabilities. Now,Will that happen in my lifetime? Maybe, maybe not. Who knows. I can tell you one thing for sure though. We've got to start somewhere.
So, with that being said, to all my fellow nudists out there: keep doing what you're doing, and every time you get discouraged with where our society is in regards to this issue, just remember that I truly believe that if we fight long enough and hard enough for what we truly believe, we just may see a change. If we don't fight, and we just accept that this is the way a society is, will we ever know whether it could have been different?