BY PAIGEDCYOGA ON APRIL 3, 2018
Recently I had a dream that my Mother called me from heaven to complain about being there. I woke from the dream and laughed. I spent a lifetime, over 48 years to be exact, with my Mothers bipolar issues. Felt more like I raised her than the other way around. So it was quite normal to have her call me almost regularly and have some sort of complaint. One moment she can like something and the other hates it. In her final years she lived in a nursing home and I would often get a call from a social worker that she didn’t want to live there and wanted me to move her. I would have to explain to them that if you give her till tomorrow she will change her mind again. And of course she did.
So needless to say I found this dream quite funny. I could just imagine my Mom getting to heaven and finding a problem with it. In my dream she didn’t like the people there. She and Jesus were having problems. Also the food was bad. So like my life she called on me to fix, but in my dream I remember just saying “There isn’t anything I can do about it”.
Which brings me to an important point. Dreams often surface from the deep part of our mind. I lost my Mom back in September but still this dream reminded me of the relationship I had and to practice patience.
My practice has taught me to slow down my reaction and pause. To be patient requires practice over and over. Many times I get it wrong. Other times though I am glad when I remember to use it. Patience has helped me to see all sorts of views and solutions I didn’t see in the fast instant response. I also believe I don’t need to always have an answer. Sometimes it is enough to let someone express their thoughts and hold space for them.
I do this all day long in the little ways of life. Not just the big moments. Patience to my life requires me to watch, listen and observe life in the present moment. Try this next time you are just moving through life – ie walk slower. Turn off the phone or music and listen. Look around you. Listen around you. Maybe even smile at a stranger and say “hi”.
Don’t just get to where you are going but actually enjoy the journey there. You won’t be able to solve or change everything in this world but you can start with how you live in this place.
Be a part of the solution – not the problem.
Just a thought to consider. Thanks for listening.