A Dream Within a Dream

Poe asked: “Is all that we see or seem/ but a dream within a dream”? If so, the best bet is to make it a pleasant dream.

The weather is lovely, the yard is cool but sunny. The thing about working in the yard is that your mind can drift along without being crowded by everyday worries – if you’ll let it. And what’s better than working in the yard, is to sit in one place and just sit. It’s difficult for me to do nothing. It’s even more difficult to do nothing AND try to disconnect from the restless thoughts and worries. But the best chance I have of resting my mind along with my body is to sit in the yard and, rather than looking all around, trying to focus on one spot and just see.

Today it was the waterfall. Looking less than well-groomed and clean, it’s got what we’ll call a rustic appearance. So, after I banished the thoughts about how I should be cleaning it up, I just imagined my tiny self standing atop the pagoda watching the raging rapids below. Should I jump? Instead, I just stood there leaning on the tiny railing and tried to figure out the best way to navigate the rapids and other hazards to make it to the shopping mall across the river. Somebody should really clean up this river.