"To Meet God You Have To Make Your Dreams Come True"

Inspired by Sinead O’Connor’s Memoir, “Rememberings”

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Dear readers,

This week I’m doing something slightly different. Although I’ve already discussed Sinead O’Connor’s book, “Rememberings” in a previous newsletter, I wanted to add on to it by discussing not just the book, but my personal takeaways as well.

O’Connor’s connection to the Holy Spirit and the Divine really touched me in ways that stayed with me for a long period of time. Although religion is a deeply personal subject, her strength and conviction in her beliefs allowed me to reflect on it as well. Her writing provoked much thought on the subject and inspired me to write this blog almost a year ago.

So here is an old Medium piece I wrote:

June x

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Introduction

Someone had asked me this past year why I had pursued the arts. The answer seemed simple in my mind, but when I answered directly it sounded more deep than I realised. I answered, “It makes me feel the most connected.” In truth, there is more depth to my connection, but I couldn’t find the right words at the time. The sentiment was beautifully worded in Sinead O’Connor’s book, Rememberings: “To meet God you have to make your dreams come true.”

Creating doesn’t just make me feel alive, it lights my spirit up. Although I don’t practice religion, the art of creating feels like a close comparison to me. If I had to compare my creative practice to a form of spirituality, I would say that I’m open enough to receive guidance (ideas) and be willing enough to follow through on that guidance (create). Although manifesting ideas into reality could be considered my form of spiritual practice, I will say that in these last few years, God has made an unexpected appearance in my life.

It happened at a time when I couldn’t find the strength to act on what I needed to do. Even though I knew how to overcome challenges, at this time I felt a deeper spiritual lack. It was the first time in a while since I’d prayed out of desperation. Unexpectedly, I felt an overwhelming sense of connection and love come through. Although it may be hard to imagine as you read this, the message was so clear to me. It felt like a deeper knowing had instilled itself and I found the strength I needed to act. My prayers were heard — I haven’t had to question whether or not God existed since then.

The Divine Connection in Authenticity

I recently read Sinead O’Connor’s memoir and it left me reflecting on it for days. The book evoked a range of emotions in me; throughout every chapter, I could sense the depths of her belief in the Holy Spirit and the sincerity with which she writes. I knew that somewhere along the line I understood what she was talking about. It led me to believe that perhaps more people feel deeply connected to what brings them joy. Perhaps we’re all called to something deeper that provokes the light and authenticity out of us.

O’Connor’s life was lived through a spiritual lens. She has always felt strongly about her connection to God, which is evident in the way she writes. Throughout all her experiences she never forgets to mention her faith in the Holy Spirit, whether they were joyous or challenging. I get the sense that it was her spirituality that maintained her sense of alignment and helped her stay grounded. Although many of her decisions caused commotion along the way, I think that being aligned with your purpose does that. When you are living authentically, it subconsciously affects others who are not.

Regardless of the consequences she stood in the knowing of who she was as well as her moral ethics. She moved through life in the way she felt was right, as a young woman no less. Sometimes I wonder if she was the catalyst we needed to open our eyes to a bigger agenda happening behind the scenes or if she was living before her time. Her intentions were always pure, from what I can decipher, so the backlash she ultimately received seems undeserving. She has both a softness and a ferocity that’s difficult to ignore. It felt as though it was rooted in a deeper place.

Finding The Strength to Grow

I watched a few old interviews with O’Connor out of curiosity, and I was so impressed with her poise and the depth she provided in her responses. Her maturity shone through while simultaneously having a youthful drive. It was just evident to me that she was living fully and unapologetically. I started to question whether maturity is linked to age, or whether experience and alignment were the true contributors to growth. She seemed to be both already.

Strength isn’t always packaged in the way that we might think it is. Even O’Connor’s voice may suggest her to be more soft-spoken and shy. Yet, when she spoke it was so clear that she knew who she was as a person, what she stood for, and that she maintained her conviction all throughout. It’s not every day that you see a young person, let alone a young woman, stand in her power so effortlessly. Regardless of the response, she had an immovable stance. Her strength came from what I believe to be her willingness to overcome her hardships and maintain the right perception to move forward.

Strength doesn’t have to come to us naturally. It’s a muscle that can be developed over time, especially when we’re willing to overcome adversity. I would say that we can even root our strength in our beliefs, such as I did. Perhaps when it is coming from a place of meaning it is more easily accessible. Even more so, perhaps we feel a responsibility towards it. I think O’Connor’s strength was rooted in both. She had a purpose and was bold enough to respond to it. That, alongside her faith in the Holy Spirit, made me believe that for a time she was untouchable.

Fulfilling Dreams

I believe that what calls to us has the potential to become a divine purpose. Not an interest, but a true calling; something that truly lights us up when participating. It’s not only about doing things that make us feel alive but about learning more about ourselves and the world around us through our purpose. It’s about actively participating in our lives so that we can make discoveries. When we’re lucky enough to find who we are, wouldn’t it be such an experience to allow ourselves to lean into it?

Dreams could easily become goals when we add a deadline and create a plan. Perhaps the execution is the most intimidating, but that’s where the growth is. I think the reason we associate ideas with being ‘dreams’ is because they may seem inaccessible to us or those around us. As I’ve witnessed the world, too many of us let our thoughts and inhibitions hinder us from allowing our true selves to emerge. Yet if we all became more open to the idea, it could help direct us into a much more fulfilling place.

Trial and error can help us navigate our lives more effectively. You may even find that what you thought was calling you isn’t the right fit, but we wouldn’t know if we didn’t try. However I’ve found that when you find it, it never leaves your mind. To be so connected to not only who you are, but also to an outside power that feels like a guiding force towards your most authentic self is not a feeling you quickly forget. It’s a greater sense of clarity that perhaps wasn’t there before.

Conclusion

My interpretation of this read is as follows: if you remain authentic in your purpose, God will show you the way. True alignment isn’t necessarily about following what we think we must do according to others, but what we sense is the right thing to do. Knowing that we have an inner compass and trusting its direction can help us gain greater clarity about ourselves and those around us.

By trusting that guidance, we’re permitting ourselves to align with our true selves, with the Universe/ God, and thus deepening our spiritual connection overall. Trusting that we know who we are is hard, especially when others project their expectations or limitations onto us. However, when we’re truly aligned, very few people can deter us from that path. Sometimes our true alignment is located outside of other people’s comfort zones. But perhaps that’s because what is meant for us is not meant for them. We are all different and we all have our own contributions to make.

Throughout the book, I could feel God emanating from the pages. Sinead O’Connor was very much connected to spirit by being authentically connected with her true self. I could immediately sense how prominent that was for her. Even just listening to her interviews there was a presence in her that seemed divine. I don’t think it was either rooted in spirit or rooted in her alignment; I think it was the combination of both that manifested through her. By pursuing her calling she could become the most alive version of herself. She was honouring life by participating in it and giving it meaning.

Perhaps it’s true. Living in alignment is an invitation to meet God.

If you want to read more work like this, you can find “Thoughts on Living With Integrity here: