What Future Do You Dream?

What kind of future do we dream of?

I met a man tonight in the grocery store at the magazine rack. We quickly began a casual conversation about finding the kind of magazines that interest us most. One thing led to another and we sat down at a table, by the Starbucks Cafe across from the magazines.

We sipped our cups of coffee and my new friend, told me a lot about his life and the many adventures he had endured. He actively engaged in leading an energetic and colorful life. He had been a "Jack-of-all-Trades" and mastered them all. He's had a life that truly has seen fire and rain,...lonely times he thought would never end. My friend had been the subject of many heart-breaking experiences and yet, still lived to appreciate happy times of profound blessings. His aura was kind with a  measured tempo. I heard the truth in his voice. I felt honored to sit with this decorated Korean War Veteran.

He told me about what happened to him because he dared to believe in his dreams. He told me about the specific times he acted on the information exposed to him in his dreams.

His mother had died when he was 16 years old. His Dad remarried shortly thereafter and promptly drove him to the local Marine recruiter's office.

The sadness, I saw living in this 83 year old man's eyes, broke my heart for him. The twist and turns of his young life, forced him to make his own scared way in the world. Steve is not bitter or angry at his Dad, as he spoke, ...just sad. If Steve had not indulged his faith in the life-saving, dreamed information his departed mother had given him, when he was young, he believes he wouldn't have lived to enjoy the blessings he has today. He believes that her spirit was always there, looking out for him and guiding him all along the way. Later, he likewise, indulged in following the dreams where his beloved wife, following her death, twice gave him odd and impractical instructions. He followed her unusual instructions both times, even though his son thought he had lost his mind and reaped the literal cash rewards from it.

Steve is a prayerful man with soft brown eyes and a clean face, adorned by neatly trimmed silver hair. He credits faith in God and daily prayer for his long life and fortune. Before our chance meeting was over, he encouraged me to do 2 things. He endorsed daily prayer and believing in my dreams. He said, " Believe in your dreams,... to have the life... you only dream of.".