A Lovely Dream

 Linda was struggling to sleep. She tossed and turned, wondering why sleep was evading her. Slowly, Linda began praying her favorite prayer, hoping it would bring her peace. It wasn't long before she found herself sitting on the beach a few feet away from the ocean's edge. Linda felt like a younger version of herself
and noticed some children's toys nearby. She picked up a plastic shovel and filled the sand bucket shaped like a castle turret. As she was building her castle, she heard a voice over her shoulder say, "What are you building?"

 Linda looked over her shoulder and smiled at Jesus as if expecting His company. "Oh, I'm just building a sand castle."

  "That mold will build some good walls for your castle. Could I offer you something better?" Jesus suggested.

 "Sure," Linda said with anticipation. 

 Jesus handed her a flimsy mold in the shape of a heart. Linda looked at the mold and raised her eyebrows. "It looks pretty fragile."

 "It definitely is. Most hearts are. But if you take the time and effort to build something, it should be made with love."

  Linda carefully held the mold in her hand. "But it's so flimsy. Are you sure this will work?"

 "I prefer a heart that is not hardened. It has much more potential to love."

 "But if I use this mold and someone steps on it, it will be easily broken ."

 Jesus smiled and said, "That's true. And when a heart is broken, it is then that I will come and reshape it with my own hands. I will breathe into it and fill it with life. I can't do that with a heart that is hardened. Sharing love is always more important than building walls. Wouldn't you agree?"

 Linda nodded and let the peace of her dream overtake her as she heard Jesus whisper, "Share this with others."

-Susan