Dreaming of the miracle that is you.

Last month, I had one of the most vivid dreams I’ve experienced in years. The background to this dream is that here at home, we have a compost heap. And a month ago, on top of the compost there were old apples from a tree in the garden and wasps feasting.

In the dream, I saw the same compost heap but it was covered with old blankets. And while I didn’t know why the blankets were there, I did know that somehow I had to uncover it, without sending the wasps into a frenzy. Apprehensive but determined to do it, I took a deep breath and walked purposefully down the garden path.

Very quietly, gently, firmly, I took hold of one corner of one of the blanket and began to peel it away. And as I did, I heard a sudden fluttering of insects wings. I flinched. Turned away with my eyes tightly shut, expecting at any second to be stung. But it didn’t happen, the fluttering stop, I couldn’t hear any furious buzzing. So very slowly I turned back to the heap and was rendered speechless by what I discovered. For the compost – and all the wasps – had disappeared, and instead there was a clear surface made of dark shiny wood and it was completely covered with butterflies. Hundreds of them.

But these weren’t ordinary butterflies. While they were as ethereal and ephemeral as butterflies, shared the same delicate structure and were the same size, these little creatures represented every animal on earth. A miniature ark. As they fluttered one by one (rather than two by two), my eyes alighted on a tiny giraffe, a tiny elephant, a tiny lion, a tiny wolf, a tiny buffalo. All butterfly-like. Down the back of the garden on a wooden stage.

I was delighted. I felt lit up. And still felt that way when I awoke. I don’t always write my dreams down, but I did with this one and it has lingered during these past 4 weeks.

Last night, before I went to sleep, I came across a TED talk by cinematographer Louie Schwartzberg on the hidden beauty of pollination. You will find it below. Please, watch it before you leave. It’s only 7 minutes.

Today, walking home from a conversation about death with a group of wonderful people (it sounds grim, but was far from it) I found myself thinking about how miraculous life is. Recently I watched a presentation (online) given by one of my heroes, Sir Ken Robinson. In it, he suggests (and you can tell he really does find this miraculous) that we all just stop for a moment and consider how many people had to connect, down through the generations, in order for each one of us to be here. Think about your own family tree, how many people had to meet in order for you to be here.

This past month, I’ve found myself quite fascinated by quantum physics, quantum biology, astrophysics and astronomy. And so this evening, I’ve been thinking about how miraculous it is that I am, you are, not only a part of a family tree, but a part of this tree of life. If you consider the universe (I’ll admit that’s easier said than done) and imagine yourself on its outer most edge, then zoom in through space to this pale blue dot of a planet, home to an estimated 11 million species and 6.9 billion humans and the stage for a 4.55 billion year history of life on earth, how mind-bogglingly, goosebumpingly, light-a-fire-in-your-belly miraculous it is that you are here. You. Are. Alive.

Sit with that for a moment. The miracle that is you. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Feel it. In your body, in your mind, in your heart. In your soul.

How does it feel?

Let me know, I’d love to hear from you.

 

8 thoughts on “Dreaming of the miracle that is you.

  1. There’s something so beautiful about this article… the story you tell, the way you describe the dream, the many threads you bring together.

    It touched something inside of me, something that just wanted to sing ‘YES!’ along with you.

    A miracle indeed, and what a delightful place to live from

  2. Thank you Maddy xx Hope to catch up soon when, as you say, synchronicity allows.

  3. Me too xx And right now, as I type that, I’m enjoying the small miracle that is a delicious cup of decaf coffee, made with soy, infused with cardamon and perfectly matched with a couple of squares of Green & Blacks 70%.

  4. Dick, thank you so much for taking the time to comment here. Ahhh, resilience, something that nature is so good at. A book, well I hadn’t even thought of that! And with respect to your vocab, I’ve never noticed it lacking. Hope to catch up soon.
    Tink

  5. It feels like Being. Is-ness. Beyond time and space. I am the dot at the tip of the branch of the tree, and I am the tree too. All of it.

  6. Miraculous indeed. And when I consider the many small miracles that were required for me to become your friend I am both delighted and deeply grateful. xx

  7. Tink …. what a resilliance. First you write a sad story about your grief and now you’re on top of the world using all your senses.
    I always enjoy your writing and learn new words from you. A way to express myself in Dutch contains those words. My English vocab is still too small to write as you do.
    When’s your book finished?

    Dick

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