In 2013 I fell in love with a man I felt as if I had known all my life. In fact, months before we ever met, I had a dream about him. It's not unusual for me to have premonitions but this was one I actually recorded in my journal for my Dream Group.
I was alone in a cottage with a thatched roof and was cooking at an arched fireplace in an iron kettle. There was a knock at my heavy, wooden door and I opened it to see a dark-haired man dressed in soldier's garb. He was weary from battle and I invited him to eat some stew. He ate as if he hadn't eaten in days. He slept on a blanket on the floor next to the hearth. He said his name was Michael and he stayed with me for several months. Our love was deep. We laughed a lot and he shared many stories of his travels with me. One morning Michael told me he had to leave and return to the war but he would be back. I didn't want him to leave but I knew he must go. The fall and winter passed and I knew I was carrying his child. I looked for him to return every evening but the sun set and I remained alone. Spring arrived and I went out to plant the vegetables in the garden. As I was digging in the ground, I found Michael's sword. I pulled it out of the ground and took it inside to clean it. Why did he go to battle without his weapon? Why did he bury it in the ground? I pondered these questions for days. There was a knock at my door and I opened it to see my beloved Michael. He was back! I never knew anyone could be so very tired. He ate and he slept for a long time. As we were talking about his journey, I told him of our baby and asked him about the sword. He said, "It was always yours." I didn't understand what he meant but I didn't ask any further questions. Michael was home and I was happy.
That was my strange dream but when I first met Michael, I recognized him from my dream months before. I didn't tell him anything about it--that would be too weird. I just knew that we were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together. He felt the same way. We both had the same outlook on life, or what time we had left of our lives. I had had a triple bypass seven years before and he had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma. That changes one’s prospective on life significantly. We try never to waste one day. We cherish each other. Michael had been in a dark place when I met him but he told me, "I choose life, I choose you." Knowing the physical challenges we both faced, we married in July.
In the spring of 2013 I was digging in the flowerbed and to my surpise, I pulled a sword out of the ground. It was a reproducation sword and Michael explained the story behind it. He had no idea where it was or how it got in the flower garden. However, my dream from months before came back to me. I have no doubts that Michael and I were meant to be together. Perhaps the battle he was fighting in the dream represents his battle with cancer. I'm still not sure what the meaning of the buried sword is or his statement declaring that it was always mine. Maybe I will uncover that mystery in time. Right now, we are on the journey of our lives--trying to seek the center in us and God's will for our lives.