The Dream That Woke Me Up

"You have cancer, and you're not expected to live very much longer."

That was the dream I woke up from this morning. Wow, talk about a wake-up call. I couldn't go back to sleep.

I knew it was a dream, but lying there in the dark, the line between sleep and reality felt thin. What if it wasn't? I started thinking about my legacy and the impact I wanted to leave behind. How could I make the difference I want to make in such a short amount of time?

And then my thoughts turned to my family, and this wave of gratitude just washed over me. Have I said everything I wanted to say? Have I been present enough? I suddenly wanted to reach over and hug my husband and not let go.

Has this ever happened to you? Hopefully, if you're answering yes, it's because of a dream and not reality. But either way, that feeling is worth paying attention to.

As I laid awake in bed, I thought about everyone who has received this kind of diagnosis in real life. Not in a dream. Not as a fleeting 3 a.m. thought, but as actual words from an actual doctor in an actual room. How hard that must be! If you're reading this and you've been close to this kind of experience, my heart goes out to you. I can only imagine the strength it takes to be faced with a life-threatening situation.

"You're not expected to live very much longer."

What would you do?

Movies and country songs on this theme attempt to inspire us with this message. I've watched them. I've sung along to them. But there's a difference between being moved by the idea and being truly stopped by it, in the quiet of an early morning, when it suddenly feels personal.

That's when the question gets real.

Would you slow down? Would you call someone you've been putting off calling? Would you finally plan that trip, write that letter, say the thing you've been meaning to say for years? Would you let go of something that's been taking up too much space?

These aren't easy questions. But they're important ones. And the beautiful thing is, you don't have to wait for a scary dream or a difficult diagnosis to ask them.

Here is my invitation for you. Take a moment to zoom out on this life you're living, take a look at the big picture, and ask yourself what you might like to do differently. Then consider taking one small step in that direction.

Connecting with yourself is just as important as connecting with others. And sometimes, it has to come first.