One Crazy Dream .....

I would like to share a dream that I had last night. I am sitting at the shore, look at the ocean. I watch the waves crash in and feel the mist hit my face. There is no one at the beach. It is just me and my thoughts. I see a boat that is sailing east away from the beach. I start to get up and start walking to the mainland. While I do, so I drop a paper, looks like a map, but I really could not tell. I pick up the map and continue.

I start walking. I start seeing flashes of people. It is like life-size pictures because there are there for a moment, and then they disappear. Some of them I recognize, and some do not look familiar. Each picture is an action photo of sorts. Some are laughing. Some are pointing, and some are crying. I stop at one of the pictures see my old friend Rob.

Rob pasted way this year. During high school, he was my best friend. We would go to McDonalds together before school and have the passing of the Canadian Bacon. He loved music, his family and his faith. He really was a wonderful person. We lost touch after our 10 year reunion. I say, "I am so sorry Rob." As his picture begins to fade. I am standing there with a tear in my eye as my friend fades away. I look at my map and continue.

I continue walking and start seeing more people. This time my old roommate George is there, and he is pointing. This picture is more of an action photo. He is moving along a direction, but I cannot make sense what he is trying to tell me. Then I see my oldest friend Howard. He also is making a motion, but I can't make sense what he is trying to say. I try to look at my map and figure out what I where I am going. Confused I do what most men do, just keep walking in the same direction I am going.

Next I see Joel. Another friend I have known almost all of my life. He looks like he is writing something down for me, but I can't make it out. I try and try but it just does not clear for me. When I look up, he gives me thumbs up and then disappears. Bev appears. She smiles looks like she gives a hug and looks to the right. I watch this and then she smiles and disappears. I look around because I am really confused on what is going on. I still see no one. I can't see the main land, but the ocean is farther away now.

The next person I see is my friend Becky. She is points to her eyes, to her hand and then to the west. She does this a few times, and mouths to me got it. Smiles and fades away. I look at the map, and I am starting to see something familiar on the map. It looks like a direction or a path. I continue.

I keep walking and now I see my friend Erin. She is standing there looks at me with her arms crossed, and mouths to me go ahead. I look down on my map, and I see that I should be at the main land. I take a few steps, and I make it. I feel like I have been walking for hours I turn around and everyone is there waving and cheering me on. I look back, and I wake up.

I feel refreshed this morning. I felt the passion to write it all down and share it with you. Maybe one of you can help me figure out what the dream meant. It was nice seeing some of my old friends and new ones all in one place. It was at one of my favorite places the shore. I hope this feeling stays with me the whole day. 

Keep Rambling .......

Fall On Me .........

As I get closer to my 44th birthday, I see that the time for me to make my mark is at this moment in time. How do I go about this? Well, I need to see what am I doing now. I have a good job. I am now starting to get a grasp of all the nuances of my job. Empower people and to take ownership of their position, or the task that they are currently working on. Listening to what employees, and congregants are really asking and helping them.

I continue to work on myself and seeing how I would fail in the past I am so shocked. It is like a switch went on, and I can't believe that just little changes in what I said or did would have to make a major difference in me and my relationships at work, with my family, and with my friends. Giving them the time that they needed, or just listening would have made these relationships stronger. Instead of rebuilding everything in my life, I would only have to do maintenance.

I have also realized that I have always taken the difficult path. I wish it was because I wanted to build character, but it was because I was too stubborn to change. I was so closed off to change that I would argue with a person who was trying to help me. Yes friends trying to show me a way that was easier, or a better way then I was doing I would argue instead of saying thanks and doing it the other way.

Times wasted, friends lost and all of this because I was stubborn. Well, that was then, and this is now. I take the time to thank the person trying to help me. I give the time my friends and family need. I feel good about me as a person, and it really shows with my work and with my friends. I still have much work to do, but everyday I see the improvement. Some days it might be a little and other it might be a lot, either way I am happy that I am no longer the person that I was. 

Keep Rambling .....