Whoa – Pretty deep children’s song

Row, row, row, your boat,
gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily.
Life is but a dream.

You see how the song is a metaphor for life?
The boat is the self and rowing is a skill that we develop throughout life in order to direct our vessel through the stream of time. The song encourages us to do this with great joy because what we experience on this earth is actually just a dream from which we will awaken.

Whoa – pretty deep children’s song!

But meaning in life can be found at any age, and children are especially open. They haven’t complicated things the way adults have.

My first memory of Divine presence confirmed the meaning of this simple children’s rhyme. I was about 3 years old and my dad was very sick with asthma. He was bed ridden, and from what I later learned, he actually didn’t have much hope of recovery. He was often taken to the hospital by ambulance when his breathing got too shallow, and one night – when he was rushed away I was taken to my neighbour’s to sleep.

As I lay there in my neighbour’s guest bedroom, I remember being puzzled about life and questioning it.

The moment I did, a voice that seemed to come from within and at the same time was everywhere, answered me. “That’s because it’s all a dream.”

I knew the song and, believe it or not, at that moment I digested the concept. Life is a dream.

Next, I was above the clouds and on the grounds of HEAVEN walking with Jesus.

I felt utterly loved and understood, and completely known by him. There was such openness about him … nothing was hidden. Besides this happening, I had my first occurrence of déjà vu – I felt I had done all this before.

As we walked along other souls appeared before his presence, expressed their concerns, received consolation and then returned the way they had come…. from below the clouds. It seemed that each person got exactly the answer they required for the situation they faced.

Incidentally, my dad ended up ok. After years of asthma, caused by intense allergies he found a naturopath that took care of things completely.

This was the genesis of my faith as I remember it. A moment in time so very long ago – but it still holds tremendous meaning.

As I go sailing merrily along I never know where the flow will direct me, but I’ve sailed many streams since then. At times I have had complete and absolute faith in a higher power to direct my course, and at other times my vessel seemed to drift aimlessly through the rapids, without sail or paddle.

I am thankful for each new experience, each moment of truth that pushes me along and moves me to deeper waters in my understanding of myself, others, and the divine presence.

As Garth Brooks once sang – I’m gonna sail by vessel ‘til the river runs dry, or in this case ‘til the stream runs dry.