Last night’s dream was a powerful reminder for me. In it, Bob was alive but we had parted ways. But he had not taken care of the children. He just disappeared.

I had gone home and left the two children home alone. I had trouble hearing what my daughter said and told her I needed to get my hearing checked.

There was little food in the house and my son was half-heartedly cooking something in the skillet.

I said tomorrow we needed to go shopping and get them some clothes.

The whole dream was hopeless. At the end they said their father had come to see them while I was out of town. He had taken them out to eat and my daughter said she didn’t know how to eat out. And I said my father took us out to eat and Bob’s father never did. So he learned when he went on business dinners.

The dream was a Johnny One-Note, I was deeply lethargic and hopeless. I was glad to wake up.

Why did I have that dream now? Yesterday I finished up my new book. The dream was to remind me that underneath I am a spiritual pauper just like everyone else.

No one has it together. Don’t believe those who seemingly do. Don’t believe their words.

We are all playing hurt. The wounds are not just from this lifetime. We carry the sins of the world.

Vernon Howard said his building had enormous forces of darkness pushing against it because there was so much light there.

What can we do but go forward in baby steps? Confessing our inner poverty. That is the only way we will learn humility and come to grace.

Vicki Woodyard