The other night I had a dream
(or two – I can’t remember) and when I awoke, even though I couldn’t remember
the particulars, I felt very disturbed. I was cranky most of the morning and felt
very negative about – well, almost everything.
In my dream someone had been
arguing with me (or me with them) and it was very upsetting to my equilibrium.
I had been trying to make a few critical points from a specific perspective and
these other people just couldn’t (or wouldn’t?) “get” it.
For example, let’s pretend we
were talking about houses. [Please
remember I cannot recall the specifics of the dream].
It was as if I said that, in
general, all houses are very similar. All houses have floors, walls, ceilings,
roofs, doors and windows. They provide protection from the weather. They
provide a sense of safety and security. They provide a sense of “being home.” The
other people in the dream vehemently disagreed. They stated – over and over – that
there are brick houses, vinyl-sided houses, stone houses, underground houses,
beautiful, large manor houses, and small, tin-roofed tar-paper shacks.
I couldn’t get them to budge
from their perspective about how the house was built or how
it looked and, instead, to consider the function of the house. In the dream
I was ready to have a conniption fit.
How you view a house depends on
your perspective or perception. If you’re a detailed personality, perhaps
you’ll think about all the differences in the style of houses and agree with
the view that there are brick ones, vinyl-sided ones, etc. If you think in a
functional manner, perhaps you’ll agree with the over-arching description of
what defines a house and agree that they all are the same – functionally.
I woke up with that feeling and
that generalized exasperation lasted all morning.
In this example of my dream, I
was very frustrated that the people I was with had only one way of looking at
the issue at hand. They seemed to have blinders on. Their response to me sounded
much like politicians we’ve all heard. They seem to have only one thing they are
prepared to say. Regardless of what is asked of them by a reporter, they will
give their scripted response.
Reporter: “So, here’s the newly
elected Congressman from [State].
Congressman, what is one of the most important issues for you in the upcoming
session?”
Congressman: “The most important
issue for me is the [fill in the blank].”
Reporter: “You seem a little
fidgety. Let’s relax. What did you have for breakfast this morning?”
Congressman: “I cannot remember.
I was so focused on [fill in the blank]
that I’m not sure I even had breakfast.”
Reporter: Well, I saw you in the
hotel’s dining room. You were with Senator Blowhard. Okay?”
Congressman: “I can’t remember.
I was so focused on [fill in the blank].
I can’t recall.”
Reported: “What if I catch up
with you at the break?”
Congressman: “Okay, but I’ll be
so focused on [fill in the blank]
that I hope I’ll remember to talk with you.”
Frustrating. Exasperating. That’s
how I felt almost all morning.
The fact that I was so
exasperated in my dream that it carried over into most of my awakened morning,
tells me I was hell-bent on being right or correct. That was my mistake. It was
an error. It was not a “sin” that I wanted to be right or correct in my dream.
It was just a dream.
And that is exactly what the
Course teaches. The world we create with our perceptions is only as real as a
dream. What we call “sin” in our created world is really just an error of
perception. If we are willing, the Holy Spirit will help us change our
perception. When that happens, our “world” will change. What we’ll begin to
perceive is the “real” world that Christ-Eyes behold. We’ll see the Christ in
all others, albeit through the fear, guilt, anger, resentment, and
defensiveness that covers up the light of the Christ in each of us.
That’s the promise of the Course
in Miracles. That’s what’s happened to me in AA. Although I could not imagine
life without alcohol, I experienced that sober life. I experienced a life of
acceptance. I experienced a life of living “just for today.” After 183 “just
for today” days I had 6 months of sobriety. After 365 “just for today” days I
had a year. After 9,490 “just for today” days I had 26 years. Looking back on
my path to sobriety, can I pinpoint the day my perception changed? Nope. Does
that denigrate my change in perception? Nope. Does my use of non-biblical words
do dishonor to my experience of the Holy Spirit in my life? Nope.
It’s simply my miracle. In fact
I am a miracle.
Although these messages are
mostly for me, thanks for listening. As always – feel free to forward this
message to your friends, family, and those accompanying you on your spiritual
journey.
Don
#2 February, 2014
Copyright, 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment