Steve,
I had a time when I was getting more fervent in the Church when the two men that had done the most for me seemed to be leaving the parish. My deacon had a serious health issue with his heart and had to take a medical leave for several months. We weren't sure if he would recover and rejoin us. My monsignor was on the verge of retirement. One morning I had a waking vision of the sanctuary of our church. It was shrouded in darkness, that was only dispelled by two candles by the altar. These candles were nearly burnt out and I dreaded the darkness that was to come.
I told this vision and my interpretation of it meaning the leaving of our two primary ordained people to our Adult Religious Education director, a holy woman and one whose opinion I value. She asked me one question. "Did you see the red tabernacle candle light?" I replied that I had not seen it and she said that my focus should be on that light as it marked the presence of Christ in the Sanctuary. This really changed my view of how we as men, especially those who serve Christ so intimately, are but one of a continuum. So I now focus on the eternal.