I was climbing a high mountain. Halfway to the top, it became slippery. I couldn’t go farther. The dust fell all over and around me. I couldn’t see anything. I was the only witness to my struggle.
My hands desperately tried to find something to hold on to. The mountain was falling apart. So was I. In the midst of the end, I heard a song.
You won’t die, don’t worry. Don’t worry. You won’t die.
But I am about to! I doubted the song.
The song became louder and louder; You won’t die, don’t worry. Don’t worry. You won’t die.
The song stopped abruptly. Just as I was about to fall, my hands found the roots of a tree. I held on to it. I was safe. The roots were part of a beautiful tree called Life.
The land disintegrated, and the dust fell on me. The struggle blinded my eyes so I could only hear the song.
Doubt and the fear made me wonder. I wondered about hope and love so I could understand life. In the end, it was all meant to be.
To climb the mountain, to struggle, to doubt; to fear, to hear the song, to hold on to the roots; to have faith, to love, to find the life that is always there, inside and outside the dream—this was what it all meant.
The moment you choose to recognize your experiences in the world as lessons of love, life turns into a lucid dream. This recognition can come from the depths of your heart or from awareness through senseless suffering caused by your mind. Either way, the main difference between a nightmare and a lucid dream is a shift of perception grounded in love.
In the dream of life, there are many mountains to climb every day, and they might crumble, the dust might blur your vision, the fear might replace your hope, but if you have faith and recognize your own essence, you will never fall. The question is: Is the dreamer awake or asleep?
Bio: Valeria Teles was born in Brazil and grew up in a small town before moving to the United States. She is a certified personal trainer and winning fitness competitor with more than twenty years into fitness, both as a professional and an enthusiast. Valeria is a vegetarian and practices Tibetan Buddhism. Her background includes performance in dance and music. She was a rumba Flamenco dancer for Gloria Estefan’s venue in Miami. She has also written a number of songs with Brazilian and American musicians. Valeria’s first book titled Fit for Joy is being considered for traditional publishing. Know more about Valeria Teles’ work, click > Fit for Joy and the Fitness of the Heart Project
Eduardo Di Dalva says
April 4, 2017 at 9:19 amExcelente profissional em tudo que faz! (Here’s a loose translation from Portuguese: Excellent professional in all she does!)
Valeria Koopman says
April 4, 2017 at 2:06 pmThank you Eduardo! Our hearts will always be an excellent professional in the art of kindness! Much love!
judy Iccut says
April 4, 2017 at 10:25 amYour dreams were so deep…Beautiful my friend! Many blessings! See You soon!
Valeria Koopman says
April 4, 2017 at 2:09 pmThank you for your comment Judy! We can only recognize outside what is inside of us. Much love!
Chris Fasano says
April 4, 2017 at 10:32 amThis is a very insightful and relatable piece. A sense of comfort and hope comes to anyone who reads this. I would love to hear more from this author.
Valeria Koopman says
April 4, 2017 at 2:12 pmThank you Chris! There is nothing like faith in the universal love. 🙂
Laura says
April 4, 2017 at 12:21 pmLovely imagery with a poignant message. Valeria has helped me to listen more carefully than I ever have before to the songs of my heart!
Valeria Koopman says
April 4, 2017 at 2:16 pmThank you Laura! Love, the sun that shines on cloudy days! I know someone who reminds me of that kind of sun. Much love!
Jeff D says
April 4, 2017 at 1:53 pmValeria is an amazing woman with a beautiful heart and soul within her. Her writing inspiration is an encouragement motivation to us all to stop be at peace be at Harmony to listen and appreciate with great gratitude this beautiful and amazing life that we have.
Thank you so much Valeria for your insight, inspiration and encouragement to us all what a beautiful soul you are!! -your friend, Jeff D.
Valeria Koopman says
April 5, 2017 at 8:14 amThank you for your kindness Jeff! My heart is your heart. Much love! 🙂
Carlos says
April 4, 2017 at 2:32 pmThank you Val, for sharing so honestly and openly about your deep struggles and your path back to light. I certainly relate to both. Carlos D.
Valeria Koopman says
April 5, 2017 at 8:16 amThank you Carlos! It’s all a lesson of love. Take good care! 🙂
Erik St-Gelais says
April 4, 2017 at 3:07 pmHello Valéria i liked the test you wrote. It is both inspiring and poetic. I even more excited to read your book. Thank you to share test that you write. Il wish a lot of inspiration for your new text.
Valeria Koopman says
April 5, 2017 at 8:18 amThank you for your comment Erik! Each moment is an eternal field of inspiration when we live from the heart. Much love!
Lizette says
April 4, 2017 at 4:07 pmValerie, your writing is inspirational, motivational, so beautifully descriptive, that as I read one word to the next, it was easy to imagine myself on that mountain. Not only are you a beautiful person inside and out, so are your words. I look forward to reading ‘Fit for Joy’. If this is a sample, then I have no doubt, your success will have no bounds.
Lizette❤
Valeria Koopman says
April 5, 2017 at 8:20 amThank you Lizette! You are such lovely being. My words are inspired by the truth in all of us. Much love!
Albena says
April 4, 2017 at 5:29 pmBeautiful, Valeria, thank you so much! This made me remember a wonderful poem that I’ve been carrying in my pocket book, it so deeply resonates!
“Suspended
I had grasped God’s garment in the void
But my hand slipped
On the rich silk of it.
The “everlasting arms” my sister loved to remember
Must have upheld my leaden weight
From falling, even so,
For though I claw at empty air and I feel
Nothing, no embrace,
I have not plummeted”
Denise Levertov
Valeria Koopman says
April 5, 2017 at 8:24 amThank you Albena! With the eyes of the soul we can clearly see how deeply connected we are. Yes, “We have not plummeted, and never will.” Much love!
goldsteel says
April 4, 2017 at 7:31 pmJust seeing your healthy, lovely image is inspiration in itself. When one doesn’t feel well, inspiration doesn’t always find it’s way to me.
Allan
Valeria Koopman says
April 5, 2017 at 8:26 amThank you Allan! I believe he who is healthy is also kind. Thus, kindness and health dance in and out of one’s body. Much love!
Miguel says
April 11, 2017 at 3:40 pmYour message is a wonderful reminder everything in life is possible and the only obstacle is the one we set for ourselves. Carpe diem seize life and enjoy for it is too short and before we know it the ride is over
Valeria Koopman says
April 12, 2017 at 9:41 amDear Miguel, thank you for your words of wisdom. Yes, “the only obstacle is the one we set for ourselves.” A beautiful truth! Much love!
Firoz says
April 15, 2017 at 8:16 amWow 😳 Valeria this is deep , but true have faith recognize your own essence and you will never fall.
Valeria Koopman says
April 15, 2017 at 10:40 amThank you Firoz! Yes, we are here to recognize our true essence. Much love! 🙂