I see you in my dreams

Sometimes, I see you in my dreams. Your face, lifeless and distant. Your body, which was full of life and dreams, taken by a bad decision. Your parents don't know what comes of you, yet. With alcohol on your breath, we rush to save you. 30 minutes goes by, and we are finally able to free your mangled body from the wreckage of a vehicle that was moving too fast. Your blood is all around you. You are just 17 years old. We try our best to bring you back, even though we know efforts are going to be wasted. You are too far gone. I see you in my dreams. I think of the life you could have had. I see you, in the future with a baby. I see your smile. It breaks my heart to know, that is a life you will never see. I still see you in my dreams.

At night, I cry for you. I cry for your friends, I cry for your family. I thank god they did not have to see you the way I did. I still see it in my dreams. Coworkers say to let it go, that it's just another call. They say if you can't handle it to leave this profession, but I can't. Even though I see you in my dreams, I still carry on. I move to the next life, the next mistake, and I see them in my dreams. Although I may cry for you, I know that your family can rest assured all efforts were made to get you back. They can take solace in the fact that, even though it may have been too late, their baby got the best care they could on the dark winding road, late at night. I gave you my all, and sometimes it's not enough. I see you in my dreams. Your face reminds me of why I do, what I do. It's not for the guts, it's not for the glory. It is so families know, every effort was taken when their family needed it most. Sometimes we win the battle, sometimes we lose. That is a fate that we learn to cope with. Even though I see you in my dreams, I am reminded of how quickly life can change. Because of you, I hold my own children closer. I appreciate life, I appreciate every minute, and I don't take my own children for granted. All because I see you in my dreams. You have given my life meaning. I only wish yours wasn't cut so short. While you rest with the angels, and smile upon your family. I will forever see you in my dreams.