What Dreams May Come…

Note: I wrote this last week, but had other things to post…

I just woke up from the strangest… most vivid dream. I wanted to write it down, as it felt so real and so meaningful, and here in that hazy first hour after waking—before my brain jumps into overdrive, before the demands of this day come up to shake me, before the dream drifts away…

Image: formybeautifullove@blogspot.com

Image: formybeautifullove@blogspot.com

I was in a Spanish speaking country, someplace far from home but not identifiable (feeling a little lost, but figuring it out?). For much of the dream I was working to get food, find a place to stay, find my friends and family—who were mysteriously there too, but not accessible to me (again, cut off from the familiar, figuring out new terrain). Suddenly I was in a very dark place, it looked like a large car garage, and a busy inner city street as well. I was trying to get out of there, carrying my laundry and some items I needed. Cars were rushing by me, and I was making my way through the traffic, at times like crossing a highway, and other times walking between cars and trucks that were stuck in dense traffic. I knew that if I wasn’t careful, I would be hit, but I could see each move I needed to make, it was just a challenge to get there.  (deciding which things to keep in my closet? Facing chaos= feeling threatened, but confident that I can figure it out)

There was a group of young homeless children, all boys, roaming the streets. They were yelling things at me and others, trying to trick me and take the things I carried or guarded. I began to forget that they were just children, and found them threatening and scary. They were all around me, and I had to keep watching to be sure they didn’t take the things I needed, or hurt me. (hmm, could mean a lot of things- throw me a guess)  They were all around me: hiding behind things, jumping out and yelling, pursuing me through the traffic and I was twisting and turning, to avoid the cars. I tried to stay focused and not lose track of where I was going, but I was anxious. (Again, lots of life changes right now… trying to find a new way/path… things are foreign, and seem threatening/challenging but there is something familiar and comforting there too— small children).

Suddenly I saw a young woman approaching me— She looked like my daughter’s best friend, who has been my “other daughter” for years.  Again, it looked like her, but I kept thinking she was a stranger and I wasn’t sure what her intentions were: Why she was approaching me, in a place where everything else seemed scary. I was wary. As she was walking toward me, I saw that all of the young boys were gathering in a menacing way, following her and whispering… I felt scared for her, and wasn’t sure what to do to help/protect her. I watched, afraid to act but she was so golden (surrounded by light, and glowing) and I knew that I wanted to talk to her, but had to be cautious. She told me not to worry about the boys, that nothing was as scary as it looked… and the boys then gathered around her and she became playful with them.

I approached the boys and they all were suspicious of me, and held back. Then one boy came forward and I told him not to be afraid, and that I wasn’t afraid of him. He came to me, and I hugged him, though he tried at first to pull away. I just held him tight.  He became very happy, and melted into the hug… and I held him close. He whispered: “All I wanted was to be held.” And I looked around and the idea that “nothing is as scary as it seems… it is all ok in the end,” came to me very clearly. I held the little boy, and then suddenly I heard the words “now wake up, but hold him with you.”

I woke up and went directly to my computer (usually I get my coffee and dog fix first). There was a skype message that my son had just left from Taiwan, saying “You’re not on line!” I messaged him back, and had a wonderful chat with my boy. It was SO good to see his face… would have given anything for a hug. Alas… in my dreams.

So peeps… what does all of this mean? Or, silly nothings? I dream every night; I dream vividly and I think my dreams often reflect stuff that I’m grappling with. What about you? Do you dream? Do you look at your dreams and see meaning, or do you see it all as movies just playing out in your sleep? I think that there is a lot behind this one… mostly centered on my “anxiety” about moving forward, making changes, trusting that things will be ok… but maybe, I just miss having my boy around. Or, maybe it’s all just a dream.

Share your thoughts… tell me what you think.

About Dawn Quyle Landau

Aside | This entry was posted in Awareness, blogs, Daily Observations, getting published, Honest observations on many things, Life, Musings, My world, Parenting, Personal change, Tales From the Motherland, Writing and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

27 Responses to What Dreams May Come…

  1. I just wish I could remember my dreams, if I do have them..I think there’s definitely messages in there 🙂


  2. Mike Lince says:

    As for the frantic pace of things, your intuition about all the changes and challenges going on in your life right now sounds about right. I think, from the stories you have shared, that you were experiencing your concern for your children abroad. Perhaps the image of the boy wanting to be held is symbolic of how much your children miss you and your mutual desire even as their journeys take them far beyond your reach. Your writing made the imagery seem quite real. It must have been quite a vivid dream.


  3. I think you nailed it– anxiety- I find I have these sorts of dreams right before waking, so they remain more vivid and usually I can link it to some issue with the kids and them moving/traveling, etc. Glad you were able to chat with him. When does he return?


    • Yes, makes sense Lisa. There are a lot of emotions around my kids right now… and the book…. my other “baby.” My son is coming home, very briefly, at the end of August. Can’t wait! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.


  4. susanissima says:

    Reading your dream re-telling, I feel anxiety and the fear of not being connected, until the end when love is shared. This seems like a dream inspired by separation on several levels, from your children and maybe other areas that you are trying to balance in your life. It’s wonderful that you can remember your dream with such clarity. Below is the blog address of Norman Green, a local writer whose entire blog involves sharing his dreams, without analysis. He just writes them out in the first person, present. They are fascinating, as is yours.


  5. Cathy Ulrich says:

    I wish I could remember my dreams as clearly as you do, Dawn. I’ve often been told, the dreamer is the only one who can interpret their dream accurately. It sounds like you have a pretty good idea what it meant for you. It seems that for me, the only ones I seem to remember are usually the “archetypal” ones, the big ones with either confirmation of emotional/spiritual shifts, or challenges to my current beliefs. But like you, the ones I do remember are usually Cecil B. DeMille productions! 🙂


    • Ha! Yes, Cecil B. DeMille indeed! Sometimes mine are so expansive that when I share them with my husband or a friend, they just sit—jaw hanging. I dream every night, and when I first wake, can generally remember them. Some days, I feel exhausted, having dreamed “all night,” even if science tells me that’s not likely (the all night part). Thanks for sharing Cathy.


  6. I totally believe in the significance of dreams. I think you analyzed this one exactly right. As I was reading I was feeling all the anxiety, the distance, moving forward, looking for emotional rest…etc. I also think that God sometimes speaks to us through our dreams – we can get personal revelation many different ways. Some people have dreams ( Joseph. lol!) that are significant and they remember them and think about them, as you did and do, it makes sense that you might be directed spiritually this way, too. I once had my old dog put to sleep because I saw her getting hit by a car and it was so real. I knew it was time to say goodbye. I’m convinced that she would have had an awful death had I not been pro-active.
    So yeah, I take dreams very seriously. Again, another thing we have in common. 🙂
    What a strong bond we have with our children. Isn’t it amazing how they can be far away but we still feel them so strongly?
    Great post, lady!!! Xoxox


    • Thanks Lisa! I’m always thrilled to see your face pop up here… or on line. I miss your more steady contributions to the blogging community, but I’m happy that you dropped in here to share. I agree with most of what you say, because yes, we do have an awful lot in common! 😉 I’m not sure what to make of the premonition like dreams I have sometimes, but tend to say: I just dreamed that, after the fact. It’s all a rather mystical realm for me. Thanks so much for sharing! xo


  7. michaelmulholland says:

    Dreams are so real sometimes it throws off my day…


  8. I think your interpretations of your dreams are right on. I always dream a lot; most of it rehashing stuff inside me. Yes, keep the thought of “nothing is as scary as it seems… it’s all ok in the end” foremost in your mind when the worries try to move in.


  9. Kourtney Heintz says:

    Dreams are peculiar things. Some are harbingers of what’s to come, some give you the closure you can’t have in your waking hours, some are the side effect of eating late. It’s hard to figure out what they mean sometimes. But it’s still fun to try. 😉


    • SO true! Full range of potential meanings is really interesting. Some would say they mean nothing at all… simply you working things out, subconsciously. To some extent, it’s in the eye of the beholder. 😉 Thanks for taking the time to read and comment, Kourtney. Much appreciated!


  10. Adam S says:

    Well, in my opinion dreams are never *just dreams*. Sleep time is problem-solving time.

    Start writing down the symbols in your dreams. A car is a symbol of your progression through life. If you’re a passenger in the dream, you’re likely feeling out of control or passive in your waking life. If you’re driving, that usually denotes a healthy self-esteem and a sense of feeling in control.

    I think your dream is mainly about self esteem, feelings of vulnerability, reoccuring overwhelming thoughts, and your perseverance in moving past these obstacles. Your subconscious mind is sorting through all of the daily anxieties that you encounter, and you’re doing it with gentleness toward yourself and others around you. You’re aware of the distractions/challenges in your life, but are diligently moving past them on your path to self-actualization.

    That’s my guess.

    Here’s an awesome resource that I use daily:

    Check it out. Pronto.




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