Have you ever had that nightmare where you have a test to take but you’re not prepared?
It seems like almost everyone has, although the scenarios vary. For me, I have a big exam coming up but I haven’t done the work to be ready. Even worse, I’ve been skipping class, so I don’t even know when the test is scheduled.
Wake me up, please!
Learning From Dreams
According to experts, dreaming of failing a test is connected to regret that we have not done as well as we could have, or to fear that we are unprepared for something in the future.
For adults, this dream often represents self-evaluation. During our waking hours, we shove aside feelings to avoid dealing with the real issues involved. Subliminally, many of us know we are not doing the things we should, such as serving others.
“The only way you can serve God on earth is by serving other people.” (Rick Warren)
But we rationalize those worries away and occupy ourselves with less important matters.
There’s another dream I have, not at night, but one I think about consciously.
I’ve just died, and I’m about to be asked to give an account of how I handled my life. But, in this instance, I feel I’m prepared. I’ve been productive, done well at work, and made a good living. Even better, I haven’t done anything on the “really terrible” list. I’m ready!
It’s an oral exam, and the Teacher begins. Though his tone is gentle, I feel fear strike my heart, because the questions are not ones I prepared for! I fake my way through the first one, but stop dead on the next: “How much of your life did you give away serving others?”
Serving Others
Our role on earth includes serving others, and we will be held accountable for how we have done.
The good news is that it’s an open book test, and we know what the questions will be. But yet, too often, we still don’t spend our time doing what we should.
“Only a life lived in the service to others is worth living.” (Albert Einstein)
We could get to the end of our lives and realize we spent our time on the wrong things. That’s what will happen if we remain focused only on ourselves.
That would be a nightmare. But at least it’s a dream we can avoid.
Question: How big a role does serving others play in your life?
Action: For a good example to follow, read The Ripple Effects of a Life Well Lived.
Photo by CollegeDegrees360 
Photo by symphony of love Photo by The U.S. Army
