By Michael Avery (from a story by Jim Jackson in Seven Signs from the Universe by Michael and Pichaya Avery)
After fighting heavy traffic for an hour and forty-five minutes, Jim Jackson stopped for an early dinner at a restaurant in Troutdale, a small town just east of Portland, Oregon. He had only traveled thirty-nine miles and still had a ways to go before reaching the Menucha Retreat Center overlooking the Columbia Gorge where he and a friend would be facilitating a discussion group later that night.
The server greeted him as he entered the restaurant saying, “Sit anyplace you like.” Jim walked along the row of twelve booths lining one wall, searching for a quiet place to review his notes. He saw that different sayings had been inscribed on the back of each booth. Some were historical facts about the history of the Gorge and Troutdale while others had “wise sayings” and quotes.
At last, he came to the end booth. This would be the best choice for a small degree of privacy. Jim read the words on the back of his booth as he took off his jacket. Staring him in the face was a timely waking dream message:
“There is no traffic when you travel the extra mile.”
“Wow, is that ever pertinent and timely!” Jim exclaimed under his breath. He had just been complaining about the traffic he’d encountered between his home and Troutdale. He interpreted the message as a waking dream telling him two things. First, there would be no traffic going up the steep mountain road to the retreat center.
Jim smiled as he revealed the second part of his message. “Our discussion topic that we’d be facilitating later that night, ‘Our Road to Mastership,’ was all about going the extra mile and giving greater effort and attention to the spiritual disciplines.”
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Seven Signs from the Universe by Michael and Pichaya Avery is available on Amazon.
Jim Jackson enjoys reading, writing, and sharing his experiences with those in his community and friends. He still has an interest in tennis, he says.