Happy Monday, friends!
Yet another week of quarantine has come to an end and another one is beginning.
And how crazy for the fact that we are entering the month of August?! Like, is that even possible?
I always thought that the Summer months went quickly; however, during a pandemic, it seems that they go even faster.
I would assume I’m not in the minority on this feeling, right?
Well, it’s time to get to this week’s post. Have you grabbed your favorite morning beverage to keep you company while you read?!
How many of you have ever had a dream so vivid during the night that when you wake up, you have to do a double take to make sure it didn’t actually happen.
Show of hands…yes?
These types of dreams are usually the ones that force me to wake up in a cold sweat, ready to scream, and panting because my heart is pounding.
I had one of those dreams this past week and it was so vivid and real that when I woke up, I had to walk around the house to clear my head and tell myself that it hadn’t actually happened.
In the dream, I was standing outside the back building of Bomberger’s, which is a hardware store that is located off of 501 about a mile down from my parents’ house in Lititz.
As I was standing there, I saw a red Ford Mustang drive by at a very high rate of speed passing cars as it made its way up the hill past High Sports and United Zion Retirement Community.
Suddenly, my eyes were glued on the same red Ford Mustang, but this time it was not speeding. It had gone airborne and was in the sky doing a 360 as it took flight before crashing back to the ground in what ended as a fiery blast of smoke similar to the that of the Wicked Witch of the West when she makes her first appearance in Munchkinland during The Wizard of Oz.
The ground shook due to the explosion and my eyes were glued to the fire ball that had erupted into the sky.
And then, just like the chain reaction of a domino hitting another domino, buildings started to fall and huge billows of smoke and debri started to fill the sky and make its way toward me as I stood at the back wall by Bomberger’s.
I tried to run as fast as I could to find cover before the clouds engulfed me, but I kept falling and for some reason, I was not able to move fast. It was almost as if I was stuck in a field of molasses.
In just seconds, the clouds of smoke engulfed me and I was swept away in the strong wind and debris–just like an astronaut floating aimlessly in Outer Space.
And then…
BOOM.
I shot up on the couch in a cold sweat (because I love sleeping there and not in a bed), threw off my blanket, and tried to catch my breath from the pounding heartbeat I was experiencing.
It seemed all too real.
I walked to the kitchen where I poured myself a glass of water and just stood there for a few minutes trying to comprehend what had just happened.
Any dream interpreters out there want to tackle this one?
As I made my way back to the couch, I laid quietly and stared at the ceiling.
I was wide awake and did not see myself falling back asleep anytime soon.
Regardless of what the dream books and online details tell me about what this dream meant, here is what I took away from it.
The world is a mess. The red mustang symbolized how out of control everything seems to be right now and the chaos that it created with its crash, fire burst, and clouds of smoke were symbolizing (to me) that the world is trying to engulf us all with its chaos and darkness.
I view the fact that I woke up once the clouds of smoke surrounded me as a sign that I want to fight.
I want to fight the darkness with light. I do not want to be engulfed by the world and its chaos.
I’m tired of seeing all the negative energy overtake our lives and want to combat it with the rays of Mr. Sunshine.
And…
FLASHBACK.
2019 was a crazy year. I embarked on a 1000 mile running journey to raise $10,000 for pediatric cancer research. And, and the end of the year, I finished with 1001 miles clocked and $18,295.37 raised.
It was an insanely emotional and powerful undertaking that pushed me beyond boundaries and challenges that I never experienced before.
2020 has been pretty crappy.
Well, let’s just say it.
It’s been shitty.
While I’ve taken a majority of the year to rest my legs from the world of running, I’ve discovered that I have moments of not feeling like myself if I’m not doing something to help others. I don’t feel as fulfilled if there isn’t an end goal of trying to achieve something that assists in changing the world.
This past weekend, I got to spend time with a local family at their home. This family suffered a huge trauma back in 2011 that still leaves a string of heartache in their lives. I enjoyed getting to know more about the family and just delighted being in their company, especially their children, Julia and Matthew. The smiles that I saw on their faces during the few hours I got to be with them was perfection. Not only did it bring joy to my soul, but it was the icing on the cake.
The icing on the cake to solidify and start the final preparation for my latest and greatest challenge to take on changing the world to bring some positive energy, love, kindness, and sunshine to all.
So, the let the countdown begin to 2021 and another year of sunshine.
ARE. YOU. READY.
All will be revealed on Monday, January 4th, so circle the date on your calendar now because in true Mr. Sunshine fashion like previous years, I’ll reveal via social media all the details of the project.
But until then, it is HUSH, HUSH.
Which means, you can’t and won’t get it out of me.
But for now, I leave you with this.
I’m ready to see the world SMILE again. (See below for the song that will end up being the theme song for this project).
And I’m going to do just that.
So, get ready.
Bring on January 4, 2021.
Sprinkle sunshine always,
JP!
Mr. Sunshine Smiles 