–Shakespeare.
Well, of course, we dream a lot at night, whether these dreams are remembered or not.
Then there are the daytime dreams, plans, and goals that we set for ourselves as we try to choose and control our futures.
(“People need dreams, there’s as much nourishment in ’em as food.”–Dorothy Gilman)
Now having reached a certain age, I look back and see that the many episodes and memories of the past all seem dream-like though they had a strong sense of here-and-now reality and presence when they were occurring before and long ago.
Often we reflect on the past and search to recover the many lost feelings and sensations of those moments and episodes, but they usually elude us like phantoms, illusions, or dreams.
I know also that there have been bad and good dreams both. I can remember moments of fear, cowardice or bad behavior. But I can also recall happy, pleasurable moments in the company of others, sharing experiences together. On average, I suspect most people look for the latter kinds of dreams from the past.
(“Dreams are…illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you.”–Marsha Norman)
As I look around me today, I see a lot of bad dreams happening. Covid. The isolation and separation of families and friends. The insanity that is the United States with a Trumpian dream to become lifelong dictator and the violent wet-dream of wanna-be terrorist-rebels who want to blow up the Capitol and kill politicians with impunity.
Fortunately, one can still recognize nutcases and the craziness that implodes itself in its limited, destructive processes, and say “That is not me. That is not what I choose. That is someone else’s nightmare, irrationally chosen and acted out.”
And so as I said in a recent blog entry, my dreams continue to be on a higher plane of more civilized things with creative, not destructive, possibilities. I still seek out Beauty and larger visions, whether they be humanistic, artistic, or spiritual. That is what I have repeatedly sought from grade 12/1967 on.
And I was very lucky. I got to live out my writing dreams, my music dreams, and my teaching dreams. I have gone to, seen, and experienced all the places I wanted to go.
And my dreams have been reduced to a precious few in this greatly changed and limited world. I dream of being reconnected to my son’s family and grandsons. I dream of publishing some more writing. I dream of recording and sharing more of my music.
(“When I dream I am always ageless.”–Elizabeth Coatsworth)
So I still continue to dream, to live in dreams like everyone else. Meantime, there is much of my past dreams that continue to give me much pleasure and spiritual sustenance. Life is a dream as Shakespeare and many others have speculated. Dreams are, finally, what we are, have been, and still might be some day.
(“I dream, therefore I become.”–Cheryl Grossman)