Yearning for the vast and endless sea

One morning, not long ago, I awoke from a vivid dream that has really stayed with me. The day before, several of us were exploring that Antoine St Exupery quote that says, “”If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”[1]I guess it stayed with me.

In this crazy dream, a few of us were hiking out of a lush forest – so thick that we could hardly see five feet in front of our faces. A little time passed and soon we came to a broad clearing. As we stepped into it, we could hear beautiful singing and chants – the sounds of children and happy people. As we left the forest, we could also smell fresh asphalt and, just over the rise, a brand new runway stretched off into the distance, shimmering in the heat.  On this end of the runway sat a shiny new Boeing 757. As I watched, happy people began climbing the jetway stairs into the open doorway. They were dressed beautifully and the conversations sounded joyful, even from that distance. We watched as the last passengers came up the trail, loaded their luggage into the cart and joined the rest of the passengers already seated. We could see them through the windows as they found their seats and one of them closed the door. We could hear them singing traveling songs, even with the doors closed. What follows astonished me!

While I watched, twelve strong men emerged from the woods with coils of thick ropes over their shoulders. They walked ceremoniously to the jet, threw their ropes over the wings and with great flourish, they began singing and chanting – heaving and swaying – living into a ritual they’d obviously perfected. Within a few moments, the beautiful new jet began to roll . . . ever so slowly. From inside the jet there arose a cheer – a joyful outcry of celebration. Even in my dream, I noticed that my mouth was hanging open – in shock! I watched as these twelve pulled this jet into a jogging roll down the runway until it stopped all the way at the other end. Then, much to my wonder, everything I had just witnessed was repeated, but in reverse. A tiny figure rolled the stairs up to the open doorway and the same beautiful people emerged – still singing – still grateful and so intentional. They walked to the back of the jet and retrieved their baggage from the cart hitched to the real wheels. They joyfully and appreciatively found their way down the path to that dayeir errands and their day’s work.

Then, as the dream’s day ended, I watched as the same 12 men returned this jet ever so slowly back to my end of the runway. It now towered over me – a beautiful and massive creation with incredible potential. The same lovely people disembarked, gathered their baggage, sweetly said their goodbyes and disappeared down the path towards their homes. In my dream, the sun set and the sky went dark. The sounds of night descended and I could see the moonlight glinting on the wings of the silent jet. In that moment, I woke up and wrote this out, as best I can remember it.