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Beyond the Lone Islands

http://dawntreader-island2.blogspot.com

Sunday 2 May 2010

Dreams

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Many people have told stories about waking up from a nightmare with a sigh of relief that it was not real. Did you ever wake up from one thinking: “Oh no, I have to go back to sleep and try to finish that!” ???

I did, one morning this week. In that dream, I was trying to sort out some accounts, and knew that unless I got all the figures right, neither I nor anyone else was going to get home. I’m not sure exactly where I was, I only know it had been my first day on the job, and I wasn’t even employed, just doing some kind of internship, but they still laid this huge responsibility on me. And every time I was on the verge of getting it right, something happened to interrupt me, and I had to start over…

So my very first thought when waking up was that I had to return to the dream and straighten things out, or those “other people”, whoever they were, would still be in trouble...

Readers who have been following me for a while know that I’m fascinated by dreams and dream interpretation. (You will find earlier posts on the theme if you click the label “dreams”.) So later in the day, while out walking, I kept thinking about this.

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First of all, I never really felt comfortable with figures and math. This week I’ve had to check income tax return forms for myself, for my father, and for my mother’s estate (almost a year after her death), so I guess that pretty much “accounts for the accounts” - and the feeling of being responsible for getting things sorted out not only for myself but for others as well.

But then there is this other dimension... 
The fact of still not being ‘done’ sorting out the affairs of someone who left this life a year ago. A visit from a friend the other day, who just recently lost another friend of hers to cancer. Talk of funerals. Thinking of other friends – some who died, some who survived. Having to tell people about my own recent troubles. Still waiting for the results of my biopsy last week. (That in itself a strange mix of trying to forget, be positive, and prepare for new trials all at the same time.)

And in nature, outside, things slowly coming back to life after the long sleep of winter…

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I had another dream earlier in the week.
In that dream, I was invited to a wedding, or rather a renewal of vows for a couple married since many years back. It was a huge event, and I had the feeling almost everyone I’ve known in my whole life was at that party. The couple inviting us was a married couple whom in real life I haven’t seen for years, but who do “connect” a lot of my other friends, because they are known to people where I live now as well as also to friends back where I lived before. They are also an international couple: one of them comes from Sweden, the other from an English-speaking country across the earth.

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The celebration they had invited us to was a much bigger event than any I’ve ever been to. It was not all festivities; it also involved really tough challenges, like mysteries and riddles to be worked out, and finding hidden ways and keys to get out of seemingly impossible situations. For the scenery, imagine a mix of the Colosseum and some of the more impressive scenery from The Lord of the Ring…

The whole adventure began with wonder,  continued with struggles, and ended in celebration.

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From that dream I woke up with a sense of “wow” rather than anything else. I can’t recall ever having had a dream quite like it before.

To get back to the more recent “accounts” dream. As I said, my first feeling when I woke up from that one was that I had to go back to sleep to finish what I had left behind. But then as I grew more aware of things, it dawned on me that I was home, and awake, and that I did not have to go back and finish those impossible accounts. (Phew!)

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Thinking about this later, during my walk, a parallel to the message of Christian faith (as it has been written into my heart) struck me. No matter how many years we live, none of us will really be able to “finish all the accounts”. Every one of us will be leaving some unfinished business behind one day, however much we strive not to. (And of course we should strive not to.) But when we wake up on that final morning, we shall realize that we are at home, and that we will not have to go back to sort things out. It has all been taken care of.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelations 21:1-4)

1 Cor 13

9 comments:

Don said...

Interesting and helpful post. I like the stair-step photo with the blurring edges. Not unlike the walk of faith you describe.

I'm at the beginning of pursuing a job change, and wrestling a bit with things that might be left "unfinished" if I go. Last night I woke several times with the tune, "Don't think twice, it's alright" running through my head. One other snippet of lyrics from the song was looping through my consciousness: "It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe..."

So your post was timely, even Providential.

Thanks.

MadSnapper said...

this is a wonderful post today. thanks for sharing. I dream a lot, but nothing as detailed as yours, and most of the time mine are bad dreams. they are almost always connected in some way to something i have been doing, listening to or seen. Mine last night that woke me up this morning was a good one. someone gave me a camera that all i had to do was hold it in my hand and say Snap It and it took fantastic photos of whatever it was aimed at. I am thinking that came because I was admiring my 3 cameras last night before bed and discussing when I got them with my hubby. I just discovered the smaller the megapixel the better macro photos i get. all that was in my dream but the camera could just choose what was right, not me.

MadSnapper said...

forgot to say, all the photos you chose for today are awesome,and i especailly LOVE the steps photo. doulbe awesome

DawnTreader said...

Don, I'm glad you found the post timely, I was a bit hesitant whether I was ready to post it but then decided to go ahead...

DawnTreader said...

Sandra, I would say that the gift in your dream is the "eye" you have in yourself for photography, because you do have this gift. Not only to take fantastic photos of whatever comes in your way but also of putting them together in an interesting way on your blog.

Ginny Hartzler said...

I'm with Sandra, loving the steps picture and the way you have rather blurred out the future at the ending. I have been interested in dreams for many years, as well, and have read books on the subject, probably a lot of which I've forgotten by now. But the renewing of the vows with everyone you know there, that seems like your life, the puzzles and challenges are the obstacles in your life. Who knows, but it's fun to theorize. Some dream meanings are a lot clearer than others. I just love the way you have worked this into a wonderful Christian devotional! And love every one of the pictures, some spooky, some dreamy, some cheery!

DawnTreader said...

Thank you Ginny. I too have read several books about dreams and their interpretation. I agree with your theories; that's my way of looking at it too. I just continue to be amazed at the images our subconscious mind comes up with sometimes. Things I wouldn't have tought of while awake.

Graham Edwards said...

I read this a day or so ago but got interrupted before I could comment. As you know dreams and I don't really get along together but it's always fascinating to read your views on them - mine or yours!

I really enjoyed those photos as well.

DawnTreader said...

Well GB since I haven't been given any challenges from you lately, I have to make do with my own... ;)
Wishing you sweet dreams tonight! ♥

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