My Inner Peace
A couple years ago, as I lay in bed, awake from a nap, a dream suddenly began competing with my waking conscious. I was in the “in-between” phase of waking up, but had one last reel of images racing through my mind. I saw a very clear and magnified image of my grandfather’s face. It was a photo of him that I recognized seeing many years before.
I have very few memories of my grandfather as he passed when I was very young. But thanks to my mother, I know many amazing stories of who he was. As I saw his face, I could feel my body slowly warm up from head to toe. It was like feeling the sun first touch your skin when you leave a cold room and step outside. First, the sun warms your skin and then you melt away any tension you may be feeling inside, mentally and physically. As warmth moved throughout my body, I also felt a sense of peace I’d never felt before. I truly can’t describe the peace I felt with mere words. I can perhaps equate it to a time you felt relief or were basking in unapologetically amplified joy. Take that surreal feeling and make it tenfold. A wave of calm acquainted my body and peaceful, kind thoughts embraced my soul. I knew in that moment, I was having an out-of- body experience and my grandfather was visiting me in a dream.
A thought entered my mind, it was not my own. I heard, ‘I’m your family’s guardian angel and I’m here to protect and watch over all of you’. Seconds later, I woke up and looked around in disbeliefWhat had I just experienced? As I collected my thoughts, confusion set in and as I attempted to avoid overthinking, I brushed it off and went about my day as usual.
Later that day, I helped a friend gather her things as she was moving to Orlando. I slept over so I could say goodbye and see her off the next morning. That morning, I woke up to a few missed calls from my sister and a text from my mother asking me to call back. I quickly called and my sister told me my mother had gotten into a car accident that night and was in the emergency room. Her car was totaled. Other than a few bruises, she was okay and only shaken from the impact. I burst into tears. I realized she was okay but the thought of something worst made me feel helpless. Had she not been okay, I wouldn’t have known. I was sound asleep and had my phone on silent. I was grateful she was okay but terrified of what could have been.
A couple hours later, I went home and found her nestled in her bed, recovering from the accident. I was happy to see her, more so as I had made a connection about what had confused me the day before. I told her that my grandfather, her father, visited me in a dream and told me he was our guardian angel! It didn’t make any sense then, but now, it did. My grandfather’s appearance in my dream was meaningful because it gave me peace and assurance at a time I felt helpless. To this day, I don’t clearly know what happened in the impact, but I know one thing - my grandfather was there, looking after my mother in spirit . I share this because it’s a beautiful story that illustrates how our loved ones, those long gone, still show themselves in our lives today. I also share this because that moment ignited a faith in me that only my grandfather and God could have sparked. Together, they showed me peace, love, and strength; all in a matter of minutes.
I consider it a gift that my grandfather chose to share his message with me, so today, I share this message with you - inner peace is available and yours to have and experience. It could be inner peace you create or peace you experience in a moment, gift, or outcome. Maybe that means experiencing inner peace through forgiveness and choosing to forgive someone or something that you haven’t let go. Or inner peace through a restorative act of self-love and care, like running a few miles or finally speaking with a therapist. Maybe, it’s peace delivered to you by your best friend who gave you advice when you needed it most. Or, peace that you found while reading a verse in the Bible. Or, it’s inner peace you experienced while seeing a random act of kindness at work. Wherever you experience peace, know that it was not accidental but rather a gift delivered straight to you, just for you.
Today, I wish inner peace for you and hope you stop, look around and don’t miss the signs of tranquility in your life awaiting for your well-being & purpose. Whether these signs come to you in a dream or you choose peace over anxiety, stress, or worry; every time inner peace meets you, you’re more prepared and stronger for your present circumstances and for what’s to come.