I had an interesting thing happen to me a few nights ago. This past week we have been enjoying our time visiting our family for the holidays in California. A few nights ago I woke up in a cold sweat from a nightmare not knowing where I was and as I started to catch my bearings I felt my heart pounding away. I thought about the dream trying to calm myself down telling myself it was only a dream and I was safe. The dream itself was a lot like being in one of those zombie movies. I don't watch zombie movies because they do tend to give me nightmares and this particular dream had me really upset.
To help calm down I decided to get up and get a drink of water thinking it might distract me from the images and feelings that I felt still reeling inside my body. As I continued to try to get a hold of myself I saw my old robe that I love so much draped over a chair in the room. Instantly feeling a need to pick it up I wrapped myself in it and immediately felt my heart slow down as a warm feeling of being safe rushed though my body. At the time I did think it was strange how quickly my heart changed over to a normal beat when I did this. I then felt myself start to relax into the familiar soft fabric of the old robe and laid back down with no trouble of falling into a peaceful sleep. I had no more nightmares though the rest of the night.
Later the next day I thought about what had happened and wondered why when as soon as I put on my favorite robe my heart stopped pounding. When I looked back I could see that the old robe was not just a symbol in my life for being safe but when I wore it I was happy as I padded around the house working on my art, playing with the pets, or hanging out with the family. This beautiful energy had woven itself into the very fiber of the fabric with the precious moments of being content at home. That energy was what I felt that night when I was upset when I placed the robe on.
Now I know now what children feel like when they feel safe when they have their special blanket or the old toy that they loved until it is ratted and falling apart. When you really look at, it isn't the tangible item itself but all the loving energy that is trapped and held within it.
Photographs by Steve Noyce - Malibu, CA
Later the next day I thought about what had happened and wondered why when as soon as I put on my favorite robe my heart stopped pounding. When I looked back I could see that the old robe was not just a symbol in my life for being safe but when I wore it I was happy as I padded around the house working on my art, playing with the pets, or hanging out with the family. This beautiful energy had woven itself into the very fiber of the fabric with the precious moments of being content at home. That energy was what I felt that night when I was upset when I placed the robe on.
Now I know now what children feel like when they feel safe when they have their special blanket or the old toy that they loved until it is ratted and falling apart. When you really look at, it isn't the tangible item itself but all the loving energy that is trapped and held within it.
Photographs by Steve Noyce - Malibu, CA
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