Time is of the Essence

Julie woke with excitement - the dream she had told her that she had been given a unique gift - the ability to stop time; the only stipulation was that she would have to use it anonymously and only for good. Easy! She was an introvert who didn’t like talking to others so not talking about her “gift” was not going to be a problem. She treated herself to a nice shower (most definitely a water baby) which always helped her feel happy, comforted, and ready to face the day. Breakfast of honey smacks with a tiny amount of half and half (she could taste the slightly sweet and nutty nuggets whenever she thought about them) and a steaming cup of Black Silk coffee with a hint of cream she was ready to begin another day but it was going to be a day unlike any other. She dressed comfortably in a favorite cotton blouse, soft navy slacks, blue/brown scarf with angels printed on it, white socks, and sneakers. A glance in the mirror and she approved - she did not look like a superhero - no one would ever suspect her of performing good deeds and then blending back into the crowd - this was going to be fun.

Her first errand of mercy would be to take care of sweet Mrs. Johnson down the road - she was always watching out for Julie but sometimes found doing daily chores a bit difficult. She approached the pathway to the kind lady’s door and then had a panic moment. How was she supposed to activate her gift? Think Julie, think. She was sure it was something simple - how could she forget? The universe was not going to be happy. Calm down and breathe - the answer will come. Yes. If she remembered her dream in detail the answer would come. She had been so excited to start using the gift that the “small” detail of how to activate and deactivate had slipped her mind. She was in a crystal cave with a robed figure (a Gandalf type image which she could relate to). He handed her a pendant which she was always to wear. Here it was - the instructions she had temporarily forgotten. The figure said to her

“Remember, in order to activate your “superpower” you need to hold the pendant in your right hand, face the area where your intended recipient is located, then say bless all within (out loud or silently - both will work) and tap your forehead three times near the eyebrows. To complete it and return things to normal, hold the pendant in your left hand, say all is well (either silently or aloud) and tap once in the same place as where you activated the gift of halting time. Use it only for the good of others. You have been chosen because we are pleased with you.”

Yes, that was it - she must remember those two phrases and the rest of the instructions. Mrs. Johnson was at home; she could see her sitting at the kitchen table having a cup of tea. The pendant was around her neck (it was so light she barely noticed its presence). She held it in her right hand, said the appropriate words, and tapped her forehead three times. Suddenly it seemed as if she had stepped into another dimension. Everything and everyone were still - wow! It works. The first thing she did was to tidy the garden and pick a fresh bouquet of beautiful pink roses. She put these in a vase on the table directly in front of Mrs. Johnson. She folded some laundry that was stacked on top of the dryer, did the dishes that were in the sink, made the bed, and made a batch of fresh scones before placing these on the table on a pretty plate. She then set out some strawberry jam and butter along with a knife in front of the vase of flowers. She saw a cat sitting on a cushion on the easy chair - set a dish of cream on the floor for it which got loud happy purrs as a response. Smiling at her handiwork she picked up the pendant again, said 

“All is well” and tapped her forehead one time. In an instant she was back outside at the entrance to the path. Mrs. Johnson came out to greet her and offered her a cup of tea.  

“Thank you, another time though, shall we say 4:00 this afternoon?”

“Oh yes, dear that will be fine. I’d like to tell you about my dream - an angel who looked like you tidied my house and garden and cooked.”

Julie smiled and said

“Sounds like a nice dream. Enjoy your day and I will see you at 4:00 pm.” With that she hurried off on her next errand. She glanced at her watch (not that she doubted the universe, but she wanted to double check) - only a minute had passed. This was incredible! And she still had so much energy too. What a gift the universe had given her.

In the next block she saw a white lab tied up on a ridiculously small chain. The water bowl had been tipped over. She saw a leash hanging on a hook. Through a window she could see a small boy, a man in military garb, and a lady stirring a big pot on the stove. Julie could see the man’s kit bag in the hallway – he was home from the military for a while at least. The boy was too small to be able to take care of the dog; it was not from lack of caring. She activated the superpower hoping good deeds would work for animals as well as people. It had to. Yes! The first thing she did was put her hand on the dog’s head. The Gandalf figure had told her that she could “revive” any human or animal who was inanimate during the time her superpower was active by placing a hand on their head. Then she gave the dog lots of strokes (thank goodness she was friendly) as she filled the water bowl with fresh cool water. It was not easy to get the chain loose from the collar, but she managed eventually. Julie didn’t think the dog was taken for walks, so she put the leash on her and took her to the park three blocks away. The change in the dog was so uplifting - it made Julie happy. The dog sniffed at everything, ate a little grass, wagged her tail fast, and thoroughly enjoyed the exercise. A street vendor had just finished cooking some chicken breasts for sandwiches, so Julie bought a couple - one for her and one for the dog.  

“Two sales before I’ve opened. It’s going to be a great day. Thank you miss” said the vendor.

There was a bench under a shady old oak tree, so they sat and ate the chicken. Julie had broken the chicken up into small pieces so the dog could easily manage it. She also gave half of her piece to both the dog and to a tiny squirrel that had scampered down the tree to investigate the heavenly aroma. Julie was having fun. She hated to return the dog to the same surroundings she found her in; but at least the dog had food, water, and exercise and perhaps the man would be able to take care of the dog again now he was home. The boy was too small, and the lady looked worn out from trying to make ends meet. She would return and use “the gift” again for this reunited family. She would bring a blanket to put in a crate for shelter for the dog. She deactivated the gift and glanced back to see the man and lady embrace and continued her journey. She was filled with gratitude that the universe selected her.

All day she did deeds for strangers and those she had seen before - each turn North, South, East, and West. Never once thinking of herself except for how grateful she was. At one point she shuddered when a thought sneaked in about what a disaster it would be if a robber were given the superpower. She quickly dismissed the thought.  

When 4:00 pm neared she approached Mrs. Johnson’s house ready for a cup of tea break and some pleasant company. It had been a very productive day, but Julie would not be able to say a word about what she had done. No problem. She couldn’t wait to sleep a restorative sleep and “work her magic” again the next day.