Monthly Archives: July 2012

Dreams

The night before last I had a very strange dream.  I woke up confused and disoriented until I realized where I was.  I hope it’s not a result of watching the old TV show “LOST” in mega doses! But, after reflecting on this dream, I think it may carry a significant message for me, perhaps for many of us.

In the dream, I woke up to find dirty footprints all over our apartment carpet.  After noticing the footprints, I realized that all our furniture was gone.  All our belongings, gone.  All the closets, empty.  All the cupboards – empty.  The only thing remaining was the baby crib and the toddler waking up in it.  He was hungry and wanted Cheerios.  But we had no dishes, no table, no food in the apartment.

I frantically got out my cell phone – which miraculously was still there – to call my husband, but the cell phone wouldn’t work properly.  It changed in size and shape and kept wanting me to play a game.  No matter how many times I turned it off and on, tried resetting it, or tried using it to make a call, it always wanted me to play a game.  Frustrated, I picked up the baby and decided I would have to go find some food for him somewhere.  As we were leaving the apartment, the thought went through my mind that it would be very easy to pick up and move now – since there was nothing to move but the baby’s crib.

And then I woke up.  I woke up to a furnished apartment and all my belongings with all the closets and cupboards full and my cell phone working properly.  The only thing missing was the baby and the crib.

Revisiting this dream and praying with it for the past day, I remembered that I had read a book years ago by John Sanford called Dreams, God’s Forgotten Language.  If dreams are one of the ways God communicates with us, what was God possibly trying to communicate to me?

Many thoughts have filled my mind, but the one that keeps coming back to me is this:  We will have trouble finding food to nourish the child within us if we continue to let our possessions be the most important thing in our lives.  When we can let go of the need for things and more things, then we will be able to address our true selves and enjoy life to its fullest in child-like play that frees the soul.

What a grace the message of this dream is for me.  God speaking and telling me to let go of the many things I think are important and just the take time to play.  It is not an easy message for me to receive because I was taught to be so responsible.  But it is a message I am trying to take to heart so it will make a difference in my life for the future.

What is God speaking to you?

 

 

 

 

Preaching

In my prayer this morning I read that Catherine of Siena, who lived from 1347 to 1380, is known to have said: “Preach the truth as if we had a million voices for it is silence that kills the world.”

What powerful wisdom that is!  Speaking and preaching the truth is a necessary quality of each disciple.  But, then I remembered one of my favorite nuggets of wisdom from St. Francis of Assisi, who lived from 1182 to 1226.  He is known to have said:  “Preach the gospel wherever you go.  If necessary use words.”

There we have it!  In these two statements from the saints, I think we have a simple guide for our lives.  Whether we are silent or whether we preach with a million voices, it is clear what we should be doing each day.  We must be about the work of making Christ visible in our day in every way possible.

Enjoyment

J.P. Richter once said “The test of an enjoyment is the remembrance which it leaves behind.” Are our memories a testament to the enjoyments we have experienced?

Often I think we tend to remember the bad experiences we encounter and fail to relish and remember the good experiences.  According to Richter, that would mean that we aren’t really enjoying life.  Our search for all the wealth or esteem or possessions in this world will never bring us happiness; will never give us memories of enjoyment.

What are our most prominent memories?  Are they ones that recall for us the grace of enjoyment?

 

The Cost of Adventure

What is the cost of adventure?

I was talking with one of my sons last night and we were discussing adventures and what it takes to make the decision to make a grand adventure happen.   After our year-long adventures here in D.C., it’s easy to say that taking such an adventure costs something.  But, what is the real cost?

My son and I explored some options and then we shared all the old maxims about setting out on an unknown path such as:  “Every journey begins with a single step.” And, “If you wait until you are ready, you will never do anything.”  And, “Doing something is infinitely more than doing nothing.”

In order to embark on adventure, sometimes we just have to do it.  . . . even when we don’t know where it will lead; even when we don’t know when or if we will return; even if we aren’t quite entirely ready.

After making the decision to move here last year, I met a man at the airport on my arrival. He had been here on business and was leaving for his return to Seattle.  I recognized him – he recognized me.  He had been one of my students several years ago.  I explained that my husband and I had just made the decision to make this great adventure to D.C.  He shared his joy for us and told me some advice that he had received as a young man.  When he was first in business he asked an experienced partner if he had any advice for someone just beginning on the job.  The advice he received he has never forgotten.  He was kind enough to tell me the story and share the advice with me:  “Never regret what you do.  Only regret what you don’t do.”

Last night, I passed this wisdom on to my son.  The real cost of adventure is never doing anything.  Can we afford that?

May we recognize the grace in adventure and have the courage to pay the price.

Remembering

I read in the paper that the AIDS Quilt was in town and I made a special trip – in the heat – to the National Mall to see it.  It was more overwhelming than I would have imagined.  Yards and yards of beautifully crafted memories to people who have died of AIDS.  It is laid out lovingly on the lawn and invites a slow walk and reverent reflection.  The love embedded in every stitch and in each creative pattern is more than evident.  What a memorial to those who have died.  What a way to continue to tell their story.  It was very moving.

It made me think about how each of us is a special grace in this world and each of us has a life and a story that is worthy of being remembered.

How would we like to have our life and our story remembered?

Celebrating

I guess we can now officially say we have lived in DC.  Yesterday, on the 4th of July, with friends who knew of the best observation spots, we ventured out to the Mall to see the fireworks.  It was still 95 degrees at 10:00 p.m., but along with thousands of others we trekked outdoors and raised our eyes to the skies and “ooohed” and “ahhhed” at the colorful display amid the pops and bangs.

We were on the veranda of the Kennedy Center and looking West toward the Lincoln Monument.  What a sight.  And, what an experience to be here, in our Nation’s Capital on the 4th of July.  I felt graced to be here – in this place at this time.

Independence

Living in this part of the country and visiting all the points of historical interest has given me a profound appreciation for the price of independence and freedom.  From the American Revolution; to the Civil War; to World War II; to today, thousands upon thousands have given their energy, their spirit and sometimes their lives to see that this country remains free and that we all can enjoy our independence.

Throughout the history of this great nation there were young boys who defended homesteads; women who nursed wounded; children who worked the fields; brave souls who harbored and helped runaway slaves; not to mention those who wore a uniform and faced battle.  Their contributions to the future that we enjoy today are grace upon grace.  The wisdom of the sage is true:  Freedom isn’t free.  Independence always costs us something.  What are we willing to give so that these freedoms endure through our age?

And, what can we do to contribute to this legacy of freedom in a non-violent way, so we can enjoy independence without so much suffering, death and destruction?

Reflection

Have you taken the time for reflection today?  Life is too short to pass up this very important activity.  The simple work of reflection actually is generative.  By engaging in reflection, we have more time for reflection.  What could offer a greater grace?

I have always loved the words of Dorothy Day when she wrote about the issue of time.  I think this applies to reflection as well.  Take a moment to reflect with her:

“The only way to have more time,” says Father Lacouture, “is to sow time.”  In other words, to throw  it away.  Just as one throws wheat into the ground to get more wheat.  It must have seemed madness to throw that first wheat away – but more wheat sprang up a hundredfold. 

            So each day, start out by saying, there is plenty of time.  And so to discard time, to throw it to the winds, to disregard all the work there is to do, and go sit in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament for an hour, to divest oneself of these accursed occupations – all in order to reap time, for those things which are necessary.                       Dorothy Day,   February, 1941 

Take a moment to reflect.  More time will be given.

 

One year anniversary

Yesterday marks one year since I moved to DC.  My husband moved here before me and his one year anniversary has already passed – without incident.  My anniversary, however, had some lightning and thunder associated with it.  Also, there were hurricane force winds of 70-90 mph and hundreds of downed trees hitting houses, as well as cars smashed in their parking places.  The city is crawling out of it today, with crews cutting and moving broken trees and branches out of the major roadways, and electrical crews trying to restore power to the almost 1/2 million people still without electricity or air conditioning in this 100 degree heat wave.

What could be more appropriate?  This year has been a major adventure for us with major happenings from the earthquake and hurricane that occurred almost immediately following my arrival last July to the sneaker storm and destruction of the other night.  One friend emailed and asked me “What kind of weather did you bring with you to DC?”

I wish it were that simple and I wish I had some ability to turn things around.  But I don’t.  We each suffer the events that befall us and we each have to cope with them as best we can.

Pray for those who are still without power and for those who have lost their homes or their cars.  Grace happens, too, and there is little we can do to stop it.  Yet, sometimes, it is we who are the ones who have to cooperate with God to help provide it.  Is there someone you could be reaching out to?