Dream a little dream...

The Friday Five from the RGBPs:

1) A dream you remember from childhood

My most vivid memory of a childhood dream is of a bad dream, a nightmare if you will, although I didn't use the term back then. It was a recurring dream, and it involved a giant who was coming to take me away. There were variations on this theme, but usually I was hiding or running away from the giant. What I remember clearly is one such dream in which we were eating dinner and we had Brussels sprouts--cutting them into pieces made so much noise the giant heard us, and I hid under the table. Now why I should remember that I have no idea--and I even like Brussels sprouts. But remember it I do.

2) A recurring or significant dream

I used to have a recurring dream about being pregnant and the baby always stopped moving and I never managed to give birth. I was in my first "mid-life" crisis at the time--getting divorced, dealing with mother issues, having an identity crisis-- and in therapy I worked on that recurring dream a lot. Finally I gave birth and the baby was named Emilee Ann. I believe that dream was about my efforts to give birth to the person I was struggling to become at the time. And you may attach whatever significance you will to the fact that one of those names is my mother's middle name.

Perhaps my most significant dream occurred when I was first feeling called to become a priest. My rector and the bishop were on sabbatical (yes, they were married to each other). I hadn't talked with anyone yet about what I was feeling. On a Saturday night I dreamed about the bishop; she was helping me prepare for a journey and telling me that she would be with me on the journey. The very next day at church there was an announcement that the bishop was going to retire in about 18 months. I had no idea that announcement was coming, and at first it threw me into a bit of a panic, but when I remembered the dream I was suddenly comforted. And even though she did retire, I truly felt her support as I moved through the process towards ordination.

I've only told that dream to a few people....

3) A nightmare

Fortunately I don't have nightmares too often. When I do they usually involve being in some sort of physical danger and feeling paralyzed so that I can't get away, or trying to get ready for something important and never being able to actually get ready.

4) A favorite daydream

I'm not sure I have a favorite daydream. I'm a little bit superstitious about trying to envision how I want things to be, because I'm afraid if I imagine it, it won't ever happen. Yes, silly and perhaps neurotic.

I do have the habit of mentally replaying scenes from the past and reflecting on them....but can't think of a favorite.

5) A dream for the New Year

Peace. A world in which everyone has what they need and no one has too much. Happiness for all my children.

Not going to be too specific here: see #4 above.