I Fell Asleep Asking, I Woke Up To An Answer

Sometimes, when we ask the right questions, the answers present themselves to us in unexpected ways. When we declare our openness to the Universe, it, in turn, opens to us the many ways through which insight can be communicated.

In my case, answers usually come from TV shows that I just happen to see while channel-surfing, passages from books where I just open the page to wherever I feel like it, conversations with friends, and--of course--coincidences that occur just as I am in the process of discernment.

Last night I fell asleep with a nagging question in my head. It was something that had been bothering me for a few weeks already, and a huge part of me was feeling guilty for how I had been feeling and reacting towards it. And I'm not sure if it was related to the dreams that I had, but this morning I awoke from very violent dreams--one in which I was the one committing the violence. It was shocking, it was unnerving, but it seemed very real to me. I needed answers.

I went on a "Serendipity Surf" on the Web for clues, and I stumbled upon this passage, which I now realize answers my question and reassures me that, all things considered (even the dream that I just had), I'm not such a bad person after all:

Taken from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

On Marriage

When Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of

Marriage, master?"

And he answered saying:

"You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.

You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.

Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,

And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another but make not a bond of love:

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.

Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,

Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.

For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together, yet not too near together:

For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.