Day Six of The Four Agreements: Dreams

The leading Agreement for today is one of those under Don't Take Anything Personally. The card has an orange sky with billowy clouds along the bottom. A man's head and neck come up from the bottom edge. He is clean cut and has his eyes closed. Around his head are several items:  a book, a ribbon, a cross, a star, Saturn, and a  hand with a symbol on the palm. I've seen the symbol but have no idea where or what it means. The words say:  Everyone lives in their own dream. Yeah, I do believe that.

The back side of the card has three stars at the top. "All people live in their own dream, in their own mind. They are in a completely different world from the one we live in."

Very true. We all have dreams of things we want to accomplish or see happen. We also have our own way of seeing the world around us. I believe that's where sayings like 'seeing through rose colored glasses' come from. Our perception of the world differs from anyone else, even loved ones and family. That's because experiences help color that perception. Life can get complicated when someone thinks everyone sees the world the same way they do. It certainly can't be boring at that point.

More importantly, we see ourselves in our worldview in a particular way. That's why some people dress in a particular style. One of my sons was thin in high school and shorter than many of his classmates at first. He took to wearing several layers of clothing. His perception of himself was one of disliking his body size and layering shirts gave him a sense of being larger and more comfortable. These days, he's long out grown that mental image of himself.

It's not just visual ways in which we perceive ourselves. Back in the early 1990's, I was taking journalism in college. We wrote articles and then presented them as if on television. Our segment was taped and then played back for us. My first thought, upon seeing myself was, "I need a new bra." Yeah, later that afternoon, I went shopping for one and tossed the one I wore that day in the trash.

My secondary thoughts were of how much my mannerisms mimicked my dad. It upset me at first because we weren't close at the time. I still remember it. See? I had the chance to see myself as others see me and was surprised at what I found out.

I guess that's all of my thoughts for today. I deliberately wanted to stay away from how race and culture affect our world dream. It is a valid thing. I just don't want to come off as preaching. I'd like to let you come here to read my meanderings and remain in the world of your own making.