Come Together – Like a Dream

There was some dirt littered along a threshold and it was attracted to the broom like metal filings to a magnet.

Even before I did a speck of analysis, this dream felt hopeful, somehow.  We, being the floor, the broom being our savior, and the dirt being this pandemic, that is.

Even the opposite of the dream message, that the “dirt won’t stick,” feels like light at the end of a tunnel, or the exit from a cave/tomb.  Dreams have a funny way of unearthing deeply buried truths.  Sometimes it’s in opposites.  Sometimes it’s in symbols, figures, numbers, or crazy scenarios.  But, always dreams hold truth, if we can but discern it.

In this time of international fear and uncertainty, people are jittery and the nations are shaking in their boots.  I think we could all use a bit of cosseting, as it happens, the Dictionary.com word of the day, for being treated like a pet; pampering, coddling.

I think the old-timey British way of comforting someone by saying, “I have good news for you, pet,” is just about what we need.  But, depending upon one’s parenting style, some think coddling or comforting is not what we need, but a good, swift kick in the butt; a talking-to; or a good shaking back to the stone-age.  Whatever your style….

How timely is it that this dream occurred on the eve of Resurrection Day, otherwise known as Easter, when Christians celebrate the life after death of our Savior?  Jesus of Nazareth was the epitome of a humble, benevolent, non-political nor establishment leader.  People listened to him and followed him because they wanted to.  Today, some two thousand years later, people are drawn to him and his message of love, salvation, righteousness through sacrifice, and liberty.

Most world religions acknowledge Jesus, if not as their Savior or Messiah, then as an extraordinary human being, set apart from all others.  Variously, Jesus has been understood by throngs around the world, as a remarkable prophet, a mystical, charismatic, historically poignant and universal figure of good will and kindly wisdom.

What we Christians have done with Jesus’ legacy…. Well that’s a long story and even though I have a relatively informed opinion on this, I choose to let it lie dormant for the time being.

My concern here is with the dirt’s attraction to that broom.  The dirt being the pandemic and the broom being our savior.

On Facebook the other day, I saw a meme (a saying) and forwarded it to my list of friends, because I found it particularly striking.  Here is the gist of the meme:

6+3=9   So does 5+4.  The way you do things isn’t always the only way to do them.  Respect other people’s way of thinking.

Shortly after I posted this meme, I noticed a friend’s Facebook post which contained some pretty emotionally- charged and politically-sided “information.”  Putting the two messages, “my” meme and my friend’s post, side by side, in a eureka way, I noticed something IMPORTANT.

I saw that BOTH SIDES want THE SAME OUTCOME.  Isn’t that awesome?  Do you see the possibilities in that?  Do you see the hope in that?

Both sides of the aisle, or the issue, or the table, or the door; whatever divides the sides, want the same thing.  This means there is POTENTIAL for AGREEMENT!  Agreement tears down walls and opens doors; invites to the table, where give-and-take are exchanged back-and-forth, and problems get solved.

I wish we would all grow up and stop taking sides like bullies exerting their power in a school yard and get some stuff done.  What happened to “the greater good?” 

“Ask not what you can do for your country.  Ask what your country can do for you?”  Wait.  That’s not quite what Catholic Democrat President, John F. Kennedy said.  It sounds a bit closer to something straight out of Atheist Socialist, Karl Marx’s playbook.

Short lesson on socialism from a former Sociology teacher:  from the central government, everyone is disbursed economic sustenance, equally; we all receive the same check.  Neither enterprise (work) nor creativity/brilliance are rewarded.  There is no incentive to improve or excel, because everyone is given the same reward regardless of effort.  Productivity, the hallmark of capitalism, is not rewarded; and fails, eventually; leaving in its wake, a stagnant, disinterested, languishing, then declining, economy and a broken, hopeless society clamoring to flee.

Equality and equity are vastly different concepts.  Equality = sameness.  Equity = fairness.  Do you want to be treated the same as everybody else; never rewarded for the outstanding things you do, produce, or share with humankind?  Or would you prefer to be treated in some way commensurate with your contributions to society?

Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you.  Ask what you can do for your country.”  This statement is the antithesis of socialist thought.  This quote is oft spoken when we are, as a nation, in crisis and public service and collective, civil behavior is paramount to moving forward.  Perhaps it needs said in such a time as this?

However, me fears that possibly we are at present, “a house divided against itself” (Mark 3:25).  Matthew (12:25) put it this way: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.”

Abraham Lincoln, repeated the same sentiments in regard to his bid to end slavery.  Thomas Paine paraphrased the quote in his 1776 document, Common Sense, ironically.  Abigail Adams wrote to a friend, “A house divided upon itself – and upon that foundation do our enemies build their hopes of subduing us.”  Subduing us, can you say Socialism?

The takeaway is, division ruins a nation, a family, a community.  Let me add, if you believe, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it,” (George Santayana) then here we go.  But must we?

If one side wants to get to 9 by adding 3+3+3 and the other side wants to obtain 9 by subtracting 3 from 12, is it possible by using Jesus’ humble, benevolent, selfless, and love-motivated leadership style, some methodical combination of formulae could be discovered to get to 9, together?  I prayerfully hope that the answer is yes.

“When the Lord brought his exiles, out of captivity, back to Jerusalem, returning them to prosperity, they were like them that dream (it seemed so unreal) …. They who sow in tears shall reap with joy.” Psalm 126, paraphrased from several Bible translations.  Let’s hope my dream image of the dirt (COVID19) becoming powerfully attracted to the broom (our unified efforts to grow forward) is fulfilled.

I’ll conclude this essay with another equation: “1&1&1 is 3” which begs the further solution, “come together right now,” so said Lennon and McCartney in 1969 along with every Jewish mother, Catholic mother, and common-sense filled mother in the world today.  Some of them say it like this, “get your sh—together children.”

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