"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe." -- Saint Augustine

I have just started to read the book, MESSAGES: Signs, Visits, and Premonitions from Loved Ones Lost on 9/11 by Bonnie McEneaney. It is a powerful testimony to the many ways that our loved ones communicate with us after their death. The ways in which they reach out are different and varied -- but the result is a peace and knowing that those we love continue to be very much a part of our lives.

Each of us has life force energy (Chi), which like the parable of the gold talents can be saved (buried), frivolously spent (gambled away) or invested. Remember in the parable, the first of three sons buried his gold talents and was chided by the father because he did nothing with the gifts he was given. The second son gambled away his talents and was rebuked for frittering away the sacred gifts. And the third son who invested his talents was rewarded not only with a greater store of gold, but the appreciation and respect of his father.

Have you ever noticed how a high level of gratitude reinforces the very thing you are thankful for? In this shifting economy it is easy to be thankful for an income, the roof over your four supportive walls, a job that feeds AND inspires you, happy children, and good health. This alone can fill your meditative moments with buckets of gratitude. But what happens when you find heartfelt gratitude for something immeasurable? If a strong dose of inspiration springs into your life, and your consciousness of it triggers gratitude, will this spiral into greater amounts of inspiration?

Most of my dreams are elusive. I make every effort to remember them each morning, but I have little success. Fragments pop into my mind throughout my day reminding me that my dreams are present in some part of my consciousness.