Dreams take over the handling of stress while sick
Monday, 24 January, 2011 at 11:00 AM 
In the dream, I'm walking through a local, sub-standard supermarket with two children. They're the beloved children I hung out with in LA for two weeks early in the fall and would be having lunch with today in Atlanta, if I hadn't gotten sick and had to postpone my trip.
We have driven to this specific store together and although it feels spontaneous, their godfather has driven there to meet us, so it must have been pre-selected. Pity. I hate the thought of them imagining this is all Greensboro might have to offer them.
When I returned from the west coast, I was spoiled by the ever-present Trader Joe's which does not appear anywhere in my own town. Pulling these children into my dream was surely a reflection of my disappointment at having to miss them now. I'm enormously bummed that I'm not seeing them today. The limes this store offered were shriveled and dried while I needed robust, juicy limes! If I'd written this piece yesterday, I would have had a much clearer recollection of the other disappointments of our shopping spree. I remember the look of those aisles, and the sound of our footsteps on the hard wood as we wandered. It's not a real store, of course. It's not nearly as great as some we do, in fact, have here. I've never seen such paltry offerings in Greensboro.
But why was their godfather there? He is not, to my knowledge, in Atlanta with them now. I haven't spoken to him since I returned home. (Lovely man though he was.) And why, by the end of the shopping spree, was I suddenly wearing shoes that were far too small and uncomfortable? Well, that one's clear, right? My progress has been hampered by this "cold thing" and I'm frustrated not to be able to move forward with my work, with my other plans. Lacking energy and all that.
Their mother joined us in the end, and took her daughter and popped into a nearby consignment shop while the guys and I ventured forth to explore a new gourmet shop a nearby shopper - overhearing our complaints - had declared had just sprung up in this town. Its name? "Sandler's Bin!" Yes. That's what dream-world is calling the gourmet shops these days. Apparently Sandler has a bin... and it holds all you need.
Last night I dreamed about code. Tricky, complex code reminiscent of the geometric proofs that simultaneously thrilled and overwhelmed me in high school. I was solving this coding mystery for clients. I can't help but recognize, in the light of day, that there is an actual coding challenge awaiting me this week, as I attempt to design something I've never tried before.
And in one more dream, also last night, I brain-stormed with my father who, it seems, was exploring his own latent nomadic tendencies. About to depart on a not-at-all-well-planned trip, he still needed lodging for a part of his time away. I asked him about tents and convents. Because, believe it or not, Daddy and I have discussed both camping and convents during actual wide-awake travel discussions. Irish convents, no less, though that location didn't appear in last night's dream.
It's been more than 10 years since I regularly met with a group to discuss and explore and study dreams. I'd like to say "we studied Jung," but the greater truth is we discussed derivative ideas brought to us by those who had studied Jung. Either way, the symbols mattered a great deal.
Today, years after I've spent any quality time exploring my dreams, I can't help but consider the symbols in these specific recent ones. It's been rare, lately, that I wake with memories of my dreams at all. Now I have 3 recent ones. Which surely must be related to the fact that while sick, we give in to the body's craving for rest and relaxation. No surprises what my stressors have been, of course. I'm just hoping all that working on of these issues while I was asleep will serve to take my waking mind's attention off these matters while I'm awake. Because now that I'm feeling halfway myself again, I do not have time to stress about anything. I hit the ground running this morning, responding to ignored email message after ignored email message. Soon I'll start working on an actual site..
You know you're better when you start checking stuff off again, rather than sighing and closing your eyes, the veil of protection that offers at least some distance until those dreams appear.
I can't help but wonder if, as I return to my typical rhythms, my dreams will remain, or slip away once more, into that secret place that holds them aloof from my waking mind. 'Course I can't wonder too long. It's time to start considering how exactly I can manipulate some code to achieve something that has heretofore alluded me.
Happy Monday Y'all!
Reader Comments (2)
Our truest self is when we are in dreams awake.....
;)