When it's time to wake up

I don't know if you've ever felt like you've been sleep-walking your way through life?  I think most of us have, some time. 

Times when we've been so caught up in our busyness we've forgotten what we were trying to do or where we were trying to get to.  When we've given so much time and energy to other people that we've lost sight of ourselves. Our selves.  When life starts to lose its colour, its detail, its wondrous beauty.  When we we just drift along, as if asleep.

Some people stay like this.  I was gifted some words the other day (thank you Rosa) that captured this state perfectly. 

“Most people, even though they don’t know it, are asleep… They never understand the loveliness and the beauty of this thing that we call human existence.” ~ Father Anthony de Mello

These words reminded me of times when I'd been asleep, reminded me how amazing it is to feel awake - but also got me thinking about how you know when it's time to wake up.

Which took me back to this scene from The Matrix, when Neo is lying asleep, in front of his computer screen.  A message appears on the screen.  It's simple, short, powerful, perplexing.  Explains nothing but says everything.  A classic note to self.

"Wake up Neo".

And he does.

We don't always know where the message has come from.  We don't always know what it means or where it will take us.  But we can read the words on the screen, and recognise their meaning.

Wake up.

Comments

[Nick Smith]

I love this post Joanna.

Your writing is so simple, so clear and so beautiful. And yes... it wakes you up! It's a wonderful gift you give.

[Joanna Young]

Thank you Nick. That means a lot to me, coming from you. I don't always tell you but I always feel like a huge weight has been lifted off me when I read your writing:-)

Joanna