Daring to Dream

I do not know much of Pamela's story.  She may be younger than I, but that is a little difficult to judge as I believe she has had some bouts of homelessness. She is in a wheelchair.   She once told me that she was a veteran, but that conversation was interrupted and I have never gotten any more details.  She periodically weeps, but always seems happy to see the worship team, and always greets us with a wave or a hug.  She then reminds us that she wants to go to Hawaii, and she graciously invites us to join her.  The first time she told me about wanting to make that journey, I said, "I pray that dream comes true."   Her bright eyes darkened, and she quickly and adamantly responded, "This is no dream."  Perhaps there have been enough disappointments in her life that she is suspicious of anything called a dream.  I agree that they can certainly seem elusive.  However, I will keep my prayer.  I would love to see her dream come true.  Yet, I have learned to simply reply, "Pamela, I am so ready to go to Hawaii."  After all, there is some truth to that.   Yesterday she informed me that I would probably need some new clothes for the trip.  There is truth in that as well.      

 

Pamela has a boyfriend.  Every week, he brings her jewelry box to her, and helps her don a necklace or two, some bracelets, and her rings.  He also walks in with a vase of flowers (he tells me that Lucky's has really good prices). In order to do all of this, he must drive two hours each way.  I really love having them in worship, partly because they used to ignore the service completely, but now take part.  Mostly, however, I am grateful because they truly seem to care for one another.  It is nice to see two people who do not feel alone.  His dream is that he will someday be able to take Pamela home with him.  May that dream come true as well. 

     

   

Don't flowers put on their 

prettiness each spring and 

go to it with 

everything they've got?  Who 

  

would criticize the bed of 

yellow tulips or the blue 

hyacinths?

So put a 

  

bracelet on your 

ankle with a 

bell on it and make a 

little music...

 

(from The Poet Comments on Yet Another Approaching Spring  by Mary Oliver)