I woke up this morning dreaming of a beach scene kind of like this. I’ve borrowed this photo from a dear friend who lives in Hawaii. In the dream, I was riding on a bus to destination unknown. At a given moment, the bus stopped and parked on a grassy plateau. I turned around in my back-of-the-bus seat and saw a wide expanse through the window. My eyes were resting on that serene and cloudless scene when I awoke.

It seems more difficult to determine what is real and what is not these days. A few days ago, I took a neighborhood walk on a sunny and fluffy-cloud kind of day. People were working in their yards, kids were riding their bicycles, trees were leafing out and blooming and dogs were sleeping on front porches. I decided to claim that reality right then and there. Then listening to the news tends to get me rather confused.

I’ve been planting a few more flowers in my outside pots. Pansies and marigolds are waving. Chard and oregano are sprouting up. My geraniums travel inside and out depending on the wind and the weather. Caring for these happy plants is another reality claimed, balanced by prayers that encircle the planet for all those who need them.

The dream seems to have come to remind me that there are other realms where we also dwell, other universes both within and without. It’s not an either or situation, but we do have the freedom to choose our realities.