Dreams

We went to the movies, Don, myself, our children, and a very close friend. We tried to buy tickets, but we couldn't afford them, so we returned to the parking lot to find our van and go home. While we were in the theater, a riot had formed and the sheer number of protesters had purposely forced all the cars together side by side to prevent anyone from leaving. The children and I found our old green van jammed in the center of many other cars...ours was the only mini-van in the lot. Fortunately, we opened the back hatch and climbed inside, miraculously we were able to pull through the cars on either side. We drove to find Don and my friend. I spotted my friend who was wailing and crying over the persecution of many victims that had been attacked..some lay dying. I opened the passenger door and yelled and motioned for her to come, she began to run toward us, but she would get distracted by the sorrow and begin to cry again, at the same time, I had to avoid the rioting crowds that would run toward us in anger at having freed our vehicle. Don, I saw was trying to help the wounded and I motioned to him to come, but he didn't. Eventually after driving around and around, we settled on a rendezvous location and I could foresee that both would be safe. As I exited the parking lot, I had to drive through hundreds and hundreds of law enforcement personnel that were standing, talking, laughing, and totally oblivious. They stopped me to thank me for patronizing the establishment. I wanted to scream at them for ignoring chaos, but I didn't. As I wished not to be detained, I drove off the lot and went to our rendezvous point. Then, I woke up frightened, alarmed, disgusted, and confused. I don't know about you, but every single seemingly unimportant detail of my dreams represents what's been going on in my head ...I believe that it's true with most people. I laid awake and analyzed every detail..... The not affording the movie tickets was a representation of not being able to afford our previous house, the old green van symbolized us moving back to our old neighborhood, the cars being pushed side to side preventing entrance was likened to the teacher's union in Wisconsin blocking admittance to public restrooms to all except the protesters. We had the only mini-van because we are a minority..a large family in an abortion riddled world.  The riots themselves were representing all the injustice in the world, the riots in Egypt, persecutions of our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East, Asia, and so many other places, as well as countless Jews who have been horribly persecuted and killed. My friend represented Mary, John, and the daughters of Jerusalem who wept at the Crucifixion of Jesus as my friend also witnessed innocent bloodshed. Mary and John stayed never leaving at the foot of the cross. Don was like the activists, missionaries, and the good Samaritan. The law enforcement personnel represented the ignorance and idleness of the world, we often close our eyes to our very own destruction and to the world's, and carry on as if nothing was happening. And me, who am I? Not much help, but a desperate mother trying to protect her children from evil. Why did I leave Don and my friend? My work was finished, theirs was not.This was my interpretation anyway.  As scary as our dreams sometimes are, often I think there's a message. I believe the message for me, was to pray without ceasing for our world and to do what we can to change it, to focus on my vocation, and finally to trust that miraculously the Lord will pull us through even the most intimidating of circumstances. I know...I'm weird...I heard it all the time growing up sharing my strange dreams.