Have you ever had a dream where you were running on the spot, trying to get away from someone, or something, and try as you might your legs were like lead. Do you recall using all your strength as you tried to move your legs yet were unable to move – getting nowhere? Perhaps you’ve experienced calling out in a dream, shouting a warning yet unheard, or screaming out for help but there was no-one there? Awful aren’t they, these dreaded nightmares which we now label ‘anxiety dreams’ ?

The reason I ask is that so often we feel as if we are talking to the wind. When we feel literally ‘unheard’, we might as well be invisible. This isn’t a healthy state of mind and consequently we may be left feeling very vulnerable, insignificant and develop low self esteem. When, and if, our requests or suggestions, instructions or even demands are simply not heard by those we direct them to then perhaps its time we reviewed the way we communicate. If life mirrors our actions back to us so that we can make the necessary adjustments for growth, then isn’t this obvious? Not necessarily! Sometimes lessons are learned very slowly.

When my children were young my mother lived in Oregon, USA. I decided that before they were both too old for child fares on the transatlantic flights I ought to take them to see their grandma and experience America (or at least part of it) for themselves. We flew in to San Francisco and traveled by car north and upwards through gold-mining towns, then giant Redwoods, then along the coast of California and along to the rugged coastline of Oregon. What an adventure for a nine and eleven year old!

The reason I’m sharing this story is because at one point my mother suggested we see the shifting sand dunes and let the children see how fast the dunes travel in the high winds. As you watch with your own eyes the dunes travel along as the sand blows, completely altering the landscape as it disappears into the headlands of the Oregon coast. Having been cooped up in a small car with three adults for hours they were delighted and raced off into the sand. I watched carefully to keep my eyes on them as they ran and rolled up and down the dunes, traveling further into the distance until suddenly to my horror they were completely out of ear-shot. As I shouted and yelled out to them, all I could hear was my own voice in the wind echoing back to me. The sands certainly shift, and in no time at all they were completely out of sight and I knew it was pointless following, and running after them – they still wouldn’t hear my voice in the wind. Even though I had given them instructions not to go too far, in their excitement and needing a release of energy, they literally got carried away. Although I could hear their voices blowing back to me, they certainly couldn’t hear mine. That felt like a nightmare, a real life anxiety dream. Yet I had to remain calm, and practice my belief in trust.
I took a deep breath, prayed that they would run to a high mound and spot us standing waving at them to return to the car. My mother started to panic, but I hoped and trusted that my adventurous pair would realise just how far they had gone and turn round and come back. Which they did.

Looking back to experiences I had with my children I can easily relate it to how we are in our spiritual life. Whether it’s our Higher Self, or God and the angels we pray to, we make a request, (or demand), meditate peacefully to gain wisdom and insights, or indeed physically call for help when things go awry, and then we still rush along in our own ‘little world’ forgetting any words of wisdom or guidance we may have received. Can you imagine our magnificent, patient and loving angels watching as we go rushing off course, headlong and oblivious of the danger? Remember the phrase: “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread” ? Hm, makes you think – doesn’t it?