The Lesson from a Dream

The Lesson from a Dream

“Assalamu Alaikum,” twelve-year-old Adil greeted as he entered his friend Noman’s house.

“Wa Alaikum Assalam,” Noman’s mother replied.

“Where is Noman, Aunt?” Adil asked.

“He’s upstairs with the birds. Go up,” she said.

“Okay,” Adil responded and went upstairs.

“You came at the perfect time, Adil! Look, I got a new pair of birds today,” Noman said excitedly as he saw his friend. Noman loved keeping birds, and his collection had grown over the years. He spent hours feeding them, cleaning their cages, and watching their every move.

Adil, however, was of a different opinion. He admired animals but believed they should remain free. He preferred seeing birds flying in the open sky rather than confined inside cages.

“How cute they are, right?” Noman asked, showing off the birds.

“Yes, they are beautiful,” Adil replied, keeping his tone gentle but firm.

“What are you thinking, Adil?” Noman asked curiously.

Adil hesitated for a moment and then said, “Noman, birds are happiest when they’re free. Keeping them in cages is not right. Imagine how you would feel if someone locked you up in a small room. You’d want to be free, wouldn’t you?”

Noman’s face flushed with irritation. “Don’t you like my hobby? I take care of them, feed them, and play with them. How can you say this?”

“I’m not against your love for them, Noman,” Adil said patiently. “But keeping them caged just for enjoyment is unfair. They deserve freedom. That’s all I want to say.”

Noman frowned, irritated by the conversation. “No one is going to lock me up. They are birds, and I bought them from the market. If you don’t like it, you can stay away.”

Feeling frustrated, Adil stood up. “I should go now. My mom will be waiting,” he said quietly.

That evening, as Noman lay in bed, Adil’s words kept echoing in his mind. He could not stop thinking about the birds and their confinement. The thought grew heavier as he drifted into sleep.

In his dream, Noman was walking home alone. Suddenly, someone covered his nose and mouth with a cloth, and darkness surrounded him. When he woke up, he found himself in a large, unfamiliar room. Before he could gather his senses, a huge man entered and placed a plate of food in front of him. Noman had no appetite. He began crying, missing his parents desperately. The feeling of helplessness in the dream was overwhelming.

He heard his mother’s voice calling, “Noman! What happened? Were you having a bad dream?”

“Yes, Mother! I was locked up. I couldn’t escape,” Noman sobbed. The dream left him shaken, and he realized the truth in Adil’s words.

The next morning, Noman went to Adil. “Adil, forgive me,” he said sincerely, ashamed of his earlier behavior.

Adil smiled in pleasant surprise. “What happened, Noman?”

“Come, I’ll show you,” Noman said. He took Adil to his rooftop. There, Adil saw all the birdcages empty.

“Where are the birds?” Adil asked, astonished.

“I set them free,” Noman said joyfully. “I understood the lesson your words and my dream taught me.”

The two friends spent the next half-hour drinking tea and laughing together.

Adil laughed and said, “Noman, the lesson I couldn’t make you understand in words, a dream finally made you realize.” Noman lowered his head, smiling and reflecting on the importance of empathy and freedom.

From that day forward, Noman’s love for birds became one of respect and care, rather than possession. He learned that true affection comes with responsibility and kindness. Dreams, sometimes, can teach lessons no argument can.