Sweet Dreams

Sweet Dreams


By Keith Kareem Williams


“Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?
Travel the world and the seven seas
Everybody's looking for something
Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you
Some of them want to abuse you
Some of them want to be abused


I'm gonna use you and abuse you
I'm gonna know what's inside
Gonna use you and abuse you
I'm gonna know what's inside you” – excerpt from Sweet Dreams by the Eurythmics

When I first heard this song as a kid, it just sounded cool and I really didn’t understand the lyrics. Now that I’m a grown man that has lived a little, it sums up so much about the people that will come in and out of your life. If you’ve never heard this song, google it and take a listen…..I’ll wait.

The hardest part about dealing with people is figuring out their motives. Most people aren’t honest with their intentions when the fact is, just like the song says, everybody’s looking for something. It’s just the nature of humanity and you can travel everywhere in the world and not find anything different, no matter the country or the culture. Motivation is what moves people. The problem is that most people are moved by selfish motivation that will eventually become a pestilence in your life if you let it. You must always beware of people who only want to use you. They have no desire to bring anything positive into your life and they’re only concerned with what they can take. They’ll always pretend to be offering something that you’re looking for in exchange for what they want from you. From me they usually want dick, money, love or all of the above.

Even stranger than the people who want to use you are the people who want to be used by you. It’s insane and I’ve witnessed it. They’re so desperate just to be near you that they’ll accept anything. They are almost gluttons for punishment. Their odd obsession can be destructive too. People have to learn that if someone doesn’t love them or want them, then that’s exactly what it is. Emotions are what they are. They hardly change and you’ll never be able to change someone’s heart if they don’t feel you.

Finally, there are those that have been so hurt in life that their objective is to hurt anyone and everyone they can. They truly believe that we should all share the same pain that was inflicted on them. They’ll even sabotage their friends’ lives out of spite. These are the abusers. On the flip side of that coin are the people that want to be abused by you. They’re so used to harsh, unfair treatment that they can’t comprehend anything else. They feel that by abusing them, you’re actually saying that you love them.

I’ve seen into the hearts of people and what I’ve seen isn’t always pleasant. I actually don’t believe in people much anymore. Like I’ve said before, I’m numb. There is definitely Novocain in my veins. I’m like this because I accept reality. At the same time, I’m unrealistic because I always HOPE for different or for someone to prove me wrong. Sometimes, I just want to feel again but every time I try, reality steps in and rains on my parade. It’s going to take a ton of convincing to make me believe otherwise.

I don’t want to use you. I don’t want to be used by you. I don’t want to abuse you. I don’t want to be abused by you. My sweet dreams are made of this. Sometimes I foolishly hold on to the slim chance that somewhere, somebody understands me. You can’t love me just because I make you feel good. There will be times when I make you feel bad. What then? I’m not auditioning to impress anyone. At the end of the day, I’m just Reem, just as you see me. I’ll remain as I am, reckless and free until somebody makes me want to stop. She should be able to read my mind and see the truth behind my eyes. I'd die for her because she rides for me. It doesn't get more basic than that.