The Equalizer

As I was falling asleep, I saw something, a part of an old stereo system, the kind most homes had in the '80s. It was a stackable unit with a turntable, double cassette deck, maybe an 8 track. But this part was the equalizer.

And in my dream, it was wired to my brain, each slider representing a part of myself.

The dream was short. That was it. I saw the thing, understood that it controlled my brain, and then dream over. But I've been thinking about it for a week. Most dreams fade but I knew this one had meaning, it was clear, so short, more vision than dream.

Each slider represented a different frequency, Something I could raise or lower to fine tune what I was hearing. Treble, bass, mid-tones, noise filters. But in the dream, the sliders were connected to different parts of myself. Some things were turned way up and others had been muted. That doesn't make for good music. And I can adjust them.

Every part- fear, faith, creativity, insecurity, had a slider.

Maybe I've been too loud here, muted over there. And when you try to line up all the sliders to what would be considered balance, it sounds flat. No depth, no personality.

We each have our own soundboard.

I've always preferred to turn the treble up a tad bit more than bass. It sounds livelier to me. Yours might look different. Not flat, just tuned to your song. To you.

Trying to be perfectly balanced will always sound flat. Silencing the parts of you that may not be understood/heard correctly by others.

So we let them tune us. We let others adjust our settings to match what they're comfortable hearing. It sounds right to them, but off to you.

Teenage boys were particularly proud of their stereo systems back then. They were expensive and you had to buy enormous speakers to go with it. Huge things that looked like furniture. And the equalizer was off limits to everyone but the owner. You would've gotten your hand slapped had you messed with it. It took time to get it just right.

Spiritual soundcheck. Testing.

Testing.

Adjust.

Slide up for clarity.

Down the shame.

Fiddle with priorities.

Little correction here.

Lots of correction there.

Are desires in balance?

Am I allowing others to tune the equalizer God gave ME? My own unique self, with my own unique gifts and talents. Created for His pleasure.

I'm learning and adjusting.

Aligning.

Mastering the soundboard.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." -Romans 12:2

We've come a long way from this. But I think I'd like to have one.