DREAMS--OUR BUILT-IN HELPERS

During a long period, when my father's health was in decline, there were good days and bad days. Switching back and forth presented few problems. On good days, I got a little breather and that made bad days more manageable. But sometimes crisis followed crisis with stress levels high. Unable to focus on few things other than the immediate needs, I often failed to consciously recognize the necessity for a break from the daily tasks. So when I ignored my needs for too long, they were often handled in dreams--our built-in helpers.

Of all the nighttime help I received during that time, this one best illustrated the need to get some relief from the weight of daily duties.

We are in the family room: Dad, my sister and I. We are all relaxing--looking kind of inert. I am sitting in the recliner. On TV, we watch a show that features plenty of drama. As we watch, I casually pick up the remote and switch to cartoons. Speaking in a calm, low-key manner, I say, "I'll only watch this for a little while, then I'll put the real show back on."

The dream, in very simple terms, provided clear, recognizable metaphors and was easy to understand. The built-in helper even relieved the dreamer of having to decipher a complex illustration! Could this have been more succinct?

When I awoke, I didn't even have to write it down. The images, not easily forgotten, stuck with me and in small ways, I figured out what I needed to do for myself. While we may not always be able to figure out what to do, our dreams will show the direction. If one dream doesn't work, another one will soon take its place until we pay attention and find a solution.


Allposters: Donald and Daisy Dancing, Walt Disney