Life is but a dream

I was asleep in a vacant warehouse only to be awakened by the sound of heavy gunfire, war zone style gunfire.  Planes were flying overhead, their lights shining in through the windows as they swooped low, firing more rounds of ammunition.  I started running, ducking, trying to find places to hide, making my way through the building, naked (why does that naked thing always come into play?) running on tiptoe, and all I can hear is the tip-tapping of my toes on the concrete floor along with the horrendous splaying of bullets.  

 

 

Gathering up some courage, I peeked through the blinds and could see several helicopters swarming around, large black helicopters and a few silver ones circling the building, lowering themselves, the sound getting louder and louder and just as I was feeling like a trapped and injured animal, I woke up.

Shaking and feeling very unsettled, I laid very still for a few minutes, making sure the planes and helicopters were gone and then I got up and made my way to the kitchen to find safety and a familiar face in my trusted friend, the coffee pot.  As I poured a cup of coffee I cautiously opened the shades on the kitchen windows and while there were no helicopters, there was a beautiful hummingbird, also enjoying his morning nectar.  I thought it odd he was out so early, it is cold this morning and I usually don't see them until the sun has warmed the earth a bit.  His lightning fast flapping only mirrored my jittery insides but still I felt him lift my spirits with his rapid wing movements.  He hovered around the little bird house outside, zipping this way and that, and then he was gone.  Just like that. 

Off to find my dream book, even though I know that dreaming of war, being shot at and death being the desired end result, isn't a good dream.  No two ways about it.  But still, I looked for meaning in the dream, tried to make some sense of it and hear the message. 

But I think the real message came from the hummingbird.  He showed up.  Even though it was cold and damp outside, he showed up for me.  It was as if he came by to say "you're okay." In Native American culture,  a hummingbird symbolizes timeless joy and the nectar of life.  They are symbols of accomplishing that which seems impossible and are sent to teach you how to find the miracle of joyful living from your own life circumstances.  Hummingbirds are also seen by some as a messenger of love and joy.

So just as I was feeling my life heading on a southbound highway, feeling a bit sorry for myself, this beautiful and miraculous hummingbird showed up with his message for me.  And maybe we sometimes need to be reminded by these types of "nightmares" and the messages they are bringing, that our waking life really isn't that bad.