Adumbrations to Patterns

 

adumbration - faint image of something; adumbrate - verb - to foreshadow or symbolize (Google)

Patterns govern life. Whether we see them in the light of day or in the depths of our dreams at night, they exist. Those of us who recognize them often find that they have the power to adumbrate future occurrences. Case in point: last Monday night I had a prophetic dream that I and a good friend of mine, Lisa, to whom I shared the images felt was a premonition. I dreamt of a football game, one taking place at an unfamiliar high school. A good friend of mine, Ted, a stocky male with a wonderful sense of humor and penchant for sumptuous portions of food and alcohol, was the focal point. Although he did not look sickly in my mind, there was something ominous lurking behind the technicolor backdrop that surrounded him. The next day, Lisa suggested that I text the protagonist of the dream. But I didn't have to. The dream wound up adumbrating death, not Ted's but another's, Rich's, someone with attributes in common with him. On Tuesday, I found out that Rich had passed unexpectedly. Rich had played football in high school (hence the setting of the dream) and, like Ted, was also a plump, comical man. But here's the clincher: both Ted and Rich were born on Christmas Day, five years apart. Yikes. The patterns present in the dream were close enough to point to Rich's passing. 

If we open our eyes and keep focused on recognizing patterns, they will reveal a lot of present and future truths to us. They could also direct us correctly. The problem is that most are not cognizant enough to pick up on nuances, the patterns that add up to the "Eureka!" moments. And I am not sure this level of awareness is possible to teach or even to point out to those who travel with blinders on. The solution to myriad problems involves cognition, being able to differentiate between fact and fiction, reality and fantasy. Having our eyes wide shut to the patterns may prove detrimental in the long run.

The takeaway? Keep your eyes on the bouncing balls. They might produce a prescient pattern.  

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