I've had a few disturbing nightmares in the last few days. I take my dreams seriously and wonder about the messages my dreams are sending. In last night's dream, a friend of a friend moved into my house. She essentially took over the house in ways that ignored everything and everyone I value. When I complained about this, the people around me told me that I asked for it by inviting her to live with me in the first place. It was a perplexing dream, and one that related to my recent considerations related to what and when I do for others. I believe that we have to care for one another, and I also believe that you don't want to set yourself up as someone else's doormat--there's a happy medium between helping others and being stepped on.
We all need to take our responsibilities in life seriously. If you can do for yourself, I think it's a good idea to do that, however, if you can't care for your needs, then I do believe that others need to step in and help. Personal responsibility matters.
I think that the dream also rose from the fact that I recently noticed a few people in my broader world not taking responsibility for their own lives and actions. These people are not looking to the future or thinking about the people that care about them or that they have a duty too. Instead these people are living without personal responsibility. It's a sad situation for those folks. Yet, I know that when we judge from afar we rarely have all the information or the full story, so we can heed the message, but unless we know all the facts or can impact the situation in positive ways, we have to be careful about judging.
So what's the message of the dream. The message is to take personal responsibility seriously, and to expect those that can to also take personal responsibility seriously. It wasn't my job to invite the friend of the friend in since that individual had the ability to establish her own life--the person was capable. Also, while I was trying to help someone who could help themself out in the dream, I was ignoring my responsibility to other issues and people--issues and people that matter and do need the help.
As for those in real life that may not be taking personal responsibility, it's not my job to step in, but instead it's my job to do what I can to live a good life, take personal responsibility, and help those who cannot help themselves. Onward.
