O Lucky Man!

I found exactly what I wanted in this life…

According to a dream from two years ago. 

In the dream…

I’m walking along a downtown street with someone who I haven’t seen since childhood.  We’re headed to a place a few blocks away, directly up the street. 

I ask him about his life since leaving school.  Did he get married?  What was his occupation? 

All my questions are answered plainly, blandly.  Not a bad life, but certainly not exceptional.  Such an inquisitive kid; such a boring adult.  A shame, really.

I see some office buildings to the left.  I suggest we detour through those buildings on our way.  It’ll surely be more interesting than going straight up the street.

I expect to pass right through the first building.  But no—once inside, I discover it won’t be so simple.  The hall turns this way and that.  At one point, a staircase blocks our path. 

Eventually, I make it to the other side—but my childhood chum has disappeared.

Despite that difficult experience, I don’t return to the street, but head directly to the second building.  The way through this building presents even more turns and obstacles. 

At the end of the dream, I’m struggling to navigate a third building.

Well of course my childhood friend would disappear.  He’s sensible.  He’s rejected such complications in his life.  Who would want such trouble?

Apparently, me.  After the first building, I could have returned to the street.

But I didn’t because I wanted a route—a life—more interesting than a simple walk down the street.

But the dream isn’t just about making life interesting.  There are other ways to make life interesting.  I had another reason for staying on this path: I wanted to grow.  So I needed those challenges.

The dream says:

Consider yourself lucky.  Yes, you’ve dealt with confusion and uncertainty.  You’ve faced obstacle after obstacle.  But you’re a stronger person for having chosen this maddening path. 

Get the Message: a short guide for understanding dreams
sky rope poetry blog
dream steps blog
you tube channel
© 2024, Michael R. Patton

another deposit

Yes, as stated in the poem below, I believe that what I learn in this life goes into a big bank of knowledge.

A bank that contains the accumulated wisdom of the Universe.

A good belief, I believe.  This way, I feel my efforts to be a better human being are not for naught.

Those efforts may seem to do little to change this world of conflict.  But I keep trying, because I believe I’m making good deposits.


SUNSET CELEBRATION

At the end
as our little Earth
sails into the sunset
I hope those left on deck
will hoist their glasses
in celebration of our accomplishment.

After all, to survive that long
we had to rise above
the dictates of our reptilian brain.

A higher degree earned
after millennia of pain.

I reject the thought
all that good work will be lost
as this planet rides the waves into the sun.

No, I say:
such wisdom goes
into a big bank somewhere—
where?  Somewhere.
Souls all over this universe
make deposits.

I won’t be there at our end
but I will be there at my own
and on my death bed
I’ll hoist a glass if I can—
I’ll celebrate what I’ve learned
during my class time on Earth.
I’ll know:

my rough ride on these waves
has been worth the pain
of frequent seasickness
because the gain won’t be lost
but stored for purposes
this tiny mind can’t possibly imagine.

Searching for my best beliefs: poetry book
dream steps blog
myth steps blog sky rope poetry blog you tube channel
© 2024, Michael R. Patton

fable of the man who saw his education in a night of dreams

While walking a winding path through a dense dark forest, the hero of our story awoke…

…to discover he’d only been dreaming.  No, he was actually climbing up a steep rocky mountain, the peak hidden in the clouds high above.

He then said to himself, “That forest dream came to tell me: life is a winding path.”

But in the next instant, he woke again.  Now he found himself couped up in a bubble of steel and glass.  His little one-man sub slowly descended through deeper and deeper shades of blue.  Big fishes and small bumped their noses on the windows. 

Our man then said to himself, “The second dream came to show me: life is more than a walk along a forest path.  Life is also a steep climb up a mountainside toward a mystery destination.”

With that thought, he woke again.  Now he found himself standing on a lonely road on a soggy foggy night.  Suddenly a big truck rushed past, splashing cold water and mud all down his front.

Shocked awake, our man then found himself sitting in a dark classroom—a kid among kids. 

“So what have you learned tonight?” an unseen teacher asked him.  “Can you tell the class?”

Our explorer stood and surveyed the small shadowy faces looking up from the rows of desks.  “I’ve learned that life is a walk on a winding path,” he told them.  “And a steep mountain climb.  And a deep dive down into the ocean. 

“But alas, along the way, you must endure nights of soaking rain and sloppy mud.  However…

“…now I know the rain and mud are part of my education.  So perhaps I won’t howl so loud next time I get doused.”

With that thought, he awoke to find himself where he usually found himself at 6:00 a.m.: in bed with his clothes hanging in the closet, waiting for him. 

After the grand events of the night, he felt like shucking off the coils of his workday.  But solaced himself with this thought:

“No matter how tedious life might seem at times…

“…I’m always walking a path through a land unknown.  And climbing to new heights.  And exploring the dark depths.  And standing strong in the rain. 

“And learning—yes, no matter what I do, I’m always learning.”

Get the Message: a short guide for understanding dreams
sky rope poetry blog
myth steps blog
you tube channel
© 2024, Michael R. Patton

preparing for the bumpy night

Double, double toil and trouble
Fire burn and cauldron bubble!
         — from Macbeth

At the beginning of a new year, I am troubled, deeply troubled, by all the trouble I hear and see on the daily news.  I worry that today’s troubles will indeed be doubled tomorrow. 

As I growl and hiss at “those idiots” in the news, I may feel I can’t do much to change the worst of what I see.

But before I go into a full-fledged fit, I’ll remind myself:

“Okay, maybe your power is limited, but you can help the world by working to become a better person.”

But what does that mean?  How do I work to become a better person?  Well, basically it goes like this…

I try to see my flaws instead of projecting them onto “the other”…Then I work on fixing those flaws, knowing real change can only happen slowly…

I try to deal with my inner conflict…I try to go below my anger and deal with the pain that drives that anger…

I try to accept the grief that comes with being a human being.  I know if I don’t, the grief may sneak up and pull me under.

That’s pretty much it—what I do.  Maybe you noticed how the word “try” kept popping up.  Yeah, it’s a real struggle. 

But to be honest, sometimes I don’t really try that hard—or try hard enough. 

But though I often lapse, I never give up.  And I never will.  I won’t because I want to feel I’m doing a little something to benefit our world. 

Of course, I also try for my own benefit.  Over time, I’ve realized the obvious: as I slowly become more of the person I want to be, I actually feel better.  Emotionally, physically.  In spirit.

Which I guess is another way of saying: I feel stronger.  I’m becoming stronger. 

Which is needed, because as Bette Davis said in All About Eve:

It’s going to be a bumpy night!

And the only one who can fasten my seat belt is me.

I’m Responsible: a book
dream steps blog
sky rope poetry blog
you tube channel
© 2024, Michael R. Patton