A Wake-Up Call to Pursue Passion in Life
Dear Cynthia: A few years ago, I was facing a series of personal crises that demanded I make a choice of which direction I would be taking in life. One night I had a very vivid dream in which I was a waiter--which I was at the time--at a lavish party in a mansion full of beautiful, successful people when all of a sudden there was a panic that broke out among the rest of the staff. For no reason, they started yelling “Fire!†as they jumped over a huge wall that surrounded the estate. The guests at the party did not seem concerned and went about socializing. I stood frozen, not knowing whether to run or not when I saw a close friend of mine (who had recently been given a huge promotion) standing at the sumptuous buffet. She looked confused as she filled her plate and said, “What are they so afraid of?†That’s when I woke up in every sense of the word and made the decision to follow my dream and pursue the degree I have been putting off for so many years. I will remember that dream and its impact for the rest of my life.
--K. CAMERON
Via e-mail
Dear Reader: Your dream brings to mind that great line from Auntie Mame: “Life is a banquet, and most poor bastards are starving to death.†Life is an abundant party. Your choice to remain at the party when others bailed out because of an imaginary fear showed your true path. It is interesting that they shouted “Fire!†Fire is associated with the Phoenix, which rose from the ashes of a fire and thus represents rebirth. And getting fired up means getting yourself excited and passionate about proceeding. It sounds as if you did both of these things as a result of your dream.
When life turns sour, we tend to retreat, to seek the comfort of what we know. But often a personal crisis is God’s way of opening a new door of opportunity and showing us a new and more fulfilling future. We can all benefit from your beautiful dream and the reminder that in every moment and in every situation, the choice is up to us. Accept no less than your true destiny.
Cynthia Richmond is the author of “Dream Power, How to Use Your Night Dreams to Change Your Life†(Simon & Schuster, 2000). Fax your dreams to Cynthia Richmond at (818) 783-3267 or e-mail them to [email protected]. Please include your hometown and a daytime phone number. In Your Dreams appears every Tuesday and should be read for entertainment purposes only.
