The Gift in a Dream

Every once in awhile, I have a particularly lucid dream that has a beautiful message. Last night I had one of those dreams.

The setting was a River Boat. The situation was a travel adventure styled race that was similar to the Amazing Race, a current popular television show. I was a participant in this race.

What I found to be very interesting was that I was not anxious, nervous or frightened of what I would be asked to do. I was also not alone. There was a team of people that were there to help me.

At one point, one of my team members announced that a gift just arrived for me. It was a large square box, about 2ft wide. I immediately noticed Kate written all over the box as if to be extra sure I knew it was for me. I can remember the delight I felt when I saw it. I also noticed that on the brown paper that wrapped the box there were numerous hand painted pictures of beautiful places. The only one I recognized was the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, located near where I live.

What is staying with me since I awoke was the joy I felt when I saw this package. I was delighted as I looked at all of the small paintings, and was so touched that someone took the time to do this for me.

What I found very interesting was that I was not feeling compelled to rip open the paper and open the box. The outside was plenty for me to take in and enjoy.

The overall feeling of the experience was one of pure peace and joy. When I awoke, the meaning of it all came to me quickly. The main message was to enjoy every step of the journey. Appreciate it all. Take it in and be grateful. Don't rush to get to the finish and see what's in the box. Sometimes it is enjoying the wrapping, and then the process of unwrapping that is the greatest gift.

Another component of the dream that held meaning for me was travel (I love to explore new places); another was the calmness I felt even though it was called a race; another was the team of people I had surrounding me. I knew I was not alone.

So, I take my lessons into the light of day and plan on applying them. I will appreciate every moment as a gift, appreciate the kindness people share with me and appreciate all those that surround me with love.