I Had a Dream

Whenever I hear the name, Martin Luther King, my first thought is, “I had a dream.” With my blog due, I decided to share a dream of mine that has left a lasting impact on my life.

Many years ago I was making a directed retreat at the Milford Retreat Center. One day as I sat on the floor of the chapel, a deep silence came upon me. Although I knew I was wide awake, I began to have a dream! I was a child sitting on the curb among a crowd of people waiting for a parade to pass. The parade was very special because Jesus was the main feature of the parade! Every watcher was keenly focused waiting to see what Jesus would look like. I had never been so excited!

Finally, Jesus stood in front of me with a brown bag over his head! He pulled the bag up and there stood my own brother who said, “You didn’t know me, did you?” Jesus put the bag back over his head and immediately removed it again. There stood a familiar friend who said, “You didn’t know me, did you?” Jesus repeated this action with the bag several more times. I don’t remember the various persons who stood in his place, but in retrospect, it doesn’t really matter. I understood the message.

So many times this dream has helped me in my relationship with others, even difficult others. I want to treat everyone kindly lest I hear again, “You didn’t know me did you?”

Sr. Victoria Eisenman, OSB