What Dreams May Be

I am a strong believer in the power of dreams-- the dreams you have between the sheets, when you're in that hazy indescribable state of sleep where your mind is processing the days gone by and playing them out like a Fellinni movie. I love remembering my dreams in the morning. I once read that one should slowly wake up, make no movement until you are alert then your dreams can be contained in you conscience mind.

I have had a few dreams in my lifetime when I sensed the presence of God speaking to me, helping me through a situation, causing me to understand and move through a decision more peacefully. I was reminded of one such dream today.

I am in the middle of a battle. It's a battle from long ago. No guns, planes, even canons. Bows and arrows are the weapons. I am standing by a shallow yet swiftly moving river. There is chaos all around me and suddenly an arrow pierces my shoulder. I fall to my knees. Just as suddenly an elderly Indian man is standing next to me and calmly tells me to fall back into the river. I question his sensibilities. If I fall into that river I will hit my head on the rocks and surely drown. "No," he says. "Trust - it is the only way to be healed." I wade out to the middle of the water and facing upstream I fall back - flat - right into the cool flow. Instead of hitting rock I am cushioned by the current and the water isn't icy. I feel carried, held up, buffeted by the movement for a purpose, for a reason. My sense of comfort and security is incredibly strong. I trust. My entire body is relaxed and healed.

I awake, no really awake, and continue in that sense of relaxation, comfort and security and in those few seconds before my eyelids open fully I am aware this is what God asks of me -- fall backwards into a shallow stream whose rocks are sharp. Trust Him to know this is the best course of action. He will carry me, heal me, replenish me.