What Dreams May Come.

  When you are old and gray and full of sleep,
    And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
    And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
    Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

I fell in love with this poem years ago due to a episode of the "New Twilight Zone."  1985 or so. From what I can remember a scientist in a lab is working on some sort of holographic projector. Somehow a human fetus is captured and grows though the stages of child, girl, woman, and old age. The woman says she is from the early part of the 20th century. It turns out that she died in childbirth and the scientist is the reincarnation of her husband who never forgave himself. Yeats, the author of "When You Are Old" is featured in their discussions. This particular poem is quoted at the close of the show. As the woman is dying she somehow uses a message to send the scientist back to his wife without the guilt and ready to continue this lifetime. Anyway, it stayed with me. I have heard this poem described as sad but I don't think it is.

    How many loved your moments of glad grace,
    And loved your beauty with love false or true,
    But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
    And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

Somehow to me it has always spoken of eternal relationship and the continuance of love and relationship.


And bending down beside the glowing bars,
    Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
    And paced upon the mountains overhead
    And hid his face among a crowd of stars.

I look up at the night sky from time to time. I'm always awed and wonder how anybody would prefer a street light or neon pollution to the majesty of that sky. But, sadly, floodlights come on out here in the country where I live and so I have to find a place where the stars can be seen.

Another thing about the night sky. I've heard people say it makes them feel small and insignificant. It has the opposite effect on me. I feel like I fill the whole universe. That if I could just get quiet and "see" that I am part of and belong to infinity.

It's the feeling I get when I get into that rare "sweet spot" when I pray or meditate. If I could just not have to pee for a blooming minute. :-)

Ahh, the joys of growing older. It's really not for sissies.

 But, somehow if I and you can just see it. There's still stars to see and roads to travel. I think one of the things that started me this evening was thinking about old friends and classmates and family members who have gone on. I look sadly at the lined faces and even at my own crows feet and graying hair. But, on the other hand I think it's all part of a journey and not a destination.

I have had some dreams where I knew I was dreaming but that was okay. I saw a quote the other day. "What if we are dreaming and when we die. We wake up!"

I have my faith and some would cringe and call it heretical. Some would call it pie in the sky. I have learned a few things in my 58 year journey on this planet. One of those things is that God loves the truth. So, I can be honest about my thoughts. I had a wise woman say to me once. "Steve, don't tell anybody, everything except God." I find that to be true.

To Sleep: Perchance to dream ay, there's the rub.

Revelation 3:12 makes reference of being a pillar in the temple of God and not having to leave it anymore. I'm not going to tell you or try to persuade you of any theology. I just love the verse. It resonates with me.

 There will come a time and place and I will be home. But, right now? I'm still on the journey. Once I'm finished with this leg of it? I await with Shakespeare to see "What Dreams May Come."

Peace!