Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Brian’s Reflection: Thursday, July 31, 2008


It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.

- J. K. Rowling, creator of “Harry Potter”, born
on this day, 1965


Depends on what you mean by “dreams”. Dreams can be those thoughts where Life will be the fulfillment of all our fantasies. Dreams can be the mysterious strange images of the mind, sorting out Mystery for us in our sleeping hours. But “dreams” can also be our hopes, our longings, our desires for our own Life and the life of all Creation, based upon our experience and upon the vision that has taken shape in our heart and mind and spirit.

I think that Rowling is right. No dream will come true if we “forget to live”. Living freely, unashamedly, gratefully, gently, compassionately - this is the soil in which dreams can grow and flourish and flower. Some pretty silly “religious” people have condemned Harry Potter because of “magic”, which they see to be anti-God. Oh, that arid mind! Learning to accept and understand and use his magic powers, learning how to live into the fullness of his being, is how Harry learned to face down evil and bring all manner of goodness into Life. “Magic” is a metaphor for finding one’s truest Self and gifts and not forgetting to live. Jiminy Cricket knew it; remember his song? When you wish upon a star …. your dreams come true. And one of our Presiding Bishops knew it too when he said, The glory of God is a person fully alive.

Dreaming and Living go hand in hand. If we are dead, our dreams are dead. When we find the courage to live, honestly, boldly, “dream” is just another word for the presence of God.

Brian+

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