Waking Up

I saw an old friend recently in passing. I know he has had considerable trouble in his life of late and he was friendly in a way he hasn’t been in a long time. Later I shared this with a woman, another friend of his, and she said, “I don’t see that in him. He still seems to be closed and distant when with me.” I thought that perhaps the change I witnessed in his demeanor meant that my friend is beginning to tire of his anger. At least that is my hope.

It is always a surprise when someone wakes up from their dream state. But there are some people that seem to be so deeply asleep that one loses hope that they will ever awaken. When these deep dreamers do wake up…I call that a miracle. Most often, I notice, it takes a very loud noise, so loud that it startles even those around that are already awake.

Life, that persistent teacher, can be pretty harsh in its methods. So harsh that to pray for someone’s awakening can be frightening. The Shack is the story of a man who woke up after his daughter was murdered. Stroke of Insight is about a woman who woke up after a massive stroke. For these two people it seems to have taken a very loud noise to awaken them. Yes, it is scary to pray for another’s awakening.

Sometimes waking up comes more easily to people, not requiring trauma. I suppose that as I pray for my friend to find inner peace, I can add a condition to my prayer: “And while you are at it, Lord, be gentle.”