From The Storyteller
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July 1, 2019, Dream
“That will be $18.26.” Suddenly realizing she needs to pay for her groceries, the woman slowly opens her purse, takes out her wallet, pulls out three fives and three ones, and hands them to the cashier. Next she opens her change purse, counts out two dimes, a nickel, and three pennies. I’m next in line, late to an appointment, and feeling extremely frustrated. I had this reoccurring dream until one night, in my dream, I simply stepped forward and offered to make a gift to her by paying for her groceries. She accepts and magically the dream and my frustration disappeared. That night I discovered that, if I was having a dream that bothered me, I could change it. Talk about an “AH HA” moment. I realized that even in my dreams, I have the power to choose how I will respond. This reminded me of a saying my dad repeated often, “You do not control the world around you, but you can control how you respond.” As a teenage boy I had no need for “old guy” wisdom, and I can still picture myself mentally rolling my eyes. 45+ years have passed since I last heard that saying, and I’m smiling as I think about the countless times I’ve considered the truth in his words. Fact: Life happens and some of it is pretty and some not so pretty. The important thing is I can control how I respond to both. While I try for, “Wow! There is something to be learned here”, it doesn’t always come out that way, yet when it does the results are better. I’m sure my Dad occasionally wondered, “Will my teenage son ever grow up?” Actually I have that same thought on a regular basis – “Will I ever grow up?” Moral: Growing up takes a lifetime. |