Last night I had one of those dreams that you do not forget. When I woke up from it, I wanted to fall back asleep so it could continue.
I was at the most beautiful place on earth, Camp Waldemar for Girls, on the banks of the Guadalupe River. I was sitting in Tejas Chapel which is a stone amphitheater overlooking the river. Above Tejas Chapel, is Doris Johnson Lodge. This lodge, built in memory of one of Waldemar's directors, is a rock and wood lodge in the style of the old national park lodges. (This pic was taken just up from Tejas Chapel but you get the idea.
) Anyway, many of my fondest memories took place at Waldemar as I attended camp there as a girl from 1976-1982 and returned to be a counselor in 1986 and 1990-1999. It only makes since that when I would dream of Mother, it would take place at a place we both loved so much. Mother went to camp at Waldemar as a girl from 1943-1946. She was also the Fort Worth Waldemar representative for at least 25 years.
Now to the dream. I was sitting in Tejas Chapel at the bottom of the steps. A group of ladies began to file in one by one as we did as campers coming to Sunday night vespers. I looked up and there was Mother. I could not believe my eyes. She was dressed in a flowered dress and her hair was cut the way I remember in the early '80s. I mouthed, "Is it really you? I have so much I need to tell you." and she shook her head, "Yes, it's me".
I was angry because I had to wait until the program was over to talk to her. I climbed the steps of Tejas Chapel and I could not find her. I was so frustrated. I looked everywhere. I ran to the office, I ran to my kampong, I ran to the parking lot and could not find her. Then I was woken up by a big brown eyed little boy who needed more milk.
I so wanted to go back to sleep. I wanted to find her and talk to her and tell her what is going on in my brain. She always understood and always had time to listen and let me talk my way through my problems. She would encourage me and let me just go on and on. She did not need all the background information, she already knew who Lori and Cheryl and Sheryl and Elisabeth were (and still are). She knew about camp and Paschal and OBU and all the movies we loved. She knew all the inside jokes. She knew all the tears over hurt feelings and the joy over great accomplishments.
So much has happened these past few months. It is all couped up inside my brain and I have not been able to get it out. Oh, I know, pour my heart out to my Heavenly Father, and I do but it is nice to have God with some skin on.