Mr. Sandman, Keep Your Damned Dream
This morning I went to a wedding.
It was a dream.
And I don't mean it was dreamy, as in, lovely people, floaty dresses, fragrant flowers, etc.
I'm not sure if it was because I had it so close to waking, but it seemed real; it made sense (as opposed to being all disjointed, with one thing or person turning into another).
First, I was with my family - my brothers, my sisters-in-law, and my mother (who died 18 months ago). Strangely, my daughter and niece weren't there. It was the wedding of the cousin of a childhood family friend and we didn't know the bride or groom. We were invited because, although the wedding was taking place in New Jersey (I think), it was a Scottish wedding (indeed, the family friend is Scottish as well).
The wedding itself was bizarre. And there was nothing Scottish about it - no bagpipes, no kilts, not even a charming highland brogue. It was more of a redneck wedding - the sort that would take place back in the 'hollers' of Appalachia, with the groom in his best jeans and the bridesmaids in neon pink. I spent the whole ceremony wondering why we were there and itching to leave. My mother, displeased at having been misled, declared often - and loudly - that it was not, in fact, a Scottish wedding, and she went so far as to play a cassette of bagpipe music from her purse during the ceremony. (I know, it sounds dream-bizarre, but if I'm honest, it's something she would have considered doing.)
As the reception was starting, and the scary-skinny, overly made-up bride was practicing her bouquet toss to her neon-clad cronies, I told my mother we shouldn't stay for the meal, as it didn't seem fair for the couple to pay for our dinners when they didn't know us. My mother, however, didn't agree and decided we were staying. For once, I didn't argue with her (funny how I worked out how to walk away from disagreement only after she died. Story of my life).
I was standing at a large round table, at which my sister-in-law was seated. We were chatting about the strange ceremony and how I didn't think we should stay. Now, you should know that my sister-in-law is a completely and utterly wonderful woman - caring and generous and kind. In real life, she wouldn't say boo to a goose. But when the dream-server, who was dishing up a really disgusting fish course (complete with head and tail), couldn't find a plate and put the poor, barely-dead sea creature straight onto the table cloth, my sister-in-law went ballistic. She screamed at the server, berating her and ordering her to take the offending first course off the table. Shocked by her uncharacteristic outburst, I quickly found a small stack of plates and, unceremoniously slapped the fish onto one. Then I threw several other plates onto the table, to catch the other meals the server (unaffected by the insults being hurled at her) was dropping at each chair.
Then, somehow, at a wedding that was neither mine, nor that of anyone I knew, and for which I had zero responsibility, I decided it was my job to lay the tables. All the tables. For 100 guests.
I ran back to the kitchen to find some, but there weren't any. I yelled at the dishwasher that I needed plates, plates, and more plates, and I needed them THAT MINUTE! He slid a stack across a stainless steel table to me, but they were still dripping wet and most were still dirty. This started a lengthy screaming match, during which he'd toss me a clean plate or two. I'd run them out to the tables and then come back for more, hollering all the while. I was stressed and frustrated and furious.
(Interestingly, my blood pressure, which I now take immediately upon waking, was only 111/73 - the lowest it's been in a while. Not what I expected!)
After eating breakfast (which was not fish, nor possessed of a head or tail), I went to The Google. I looked up possible meanings for dreaming of taking responsibility for things that are not your business, setting the table, plates, fish, and yelling one's bloody head off.
Taking Responsibility - "Taking responsibility in a dream will often show that you have been feeling an outsized sense of responsibility for things or people in real life. Maybe others have been depending on you and you realize that you have to be at your best. Maybe you fear losing your job. Maybe you wish to do as much as you can but whatever you do, things still might go wrong. Often we feel a sense of guilt but really have no power to stop things happening." (So, basically my life playing out while I sleep. Cool.)
Setting the table - "A dream where you are setting the table suggests that you are laying the groundwork for a plan or personal endeavor. It also shows confidence." Additionally, "to see a round table in your dream is a symbol of sharing, cooperation, equal rights, and opportunities for all. It also symbolizes honesty, loyalty, and chivalry." (The road to Hell is paved with pretty place settings.)
Plates - "Seeing plates in your dream is related to your ideas, concepts, and attitudes. If the dishes are dirty and unwashed, then the interpretation is related to your discontent and pessimistic perspective. You may have overlooked some problems in your life or you're not connected with your own emotions." (Problems? What problems?)
Fish - "If you dream about a fish on a plate, or that you are eating cooked fish, it is a positive sign. Dreams about served fish are always related to material success. These dreams indicate you will be lucky in matters of money and finances. Dreams about fish on a plate mean good health, good fortune, wealth, and abundance." (I'm thinking a fish slapped right onto the tablecloth probably isn't quite as promising, amirite?)
Yelling - Dreams that feature loud arguments and shouting suggest that you may be at conflict with yourself in your waking life. Alternatively, sometimes shouting dreams are a way for people to get things off their chest without actually hurting anyone in their waking life." (Diane, step away from the baseball bat.)
It was a dream.
And I don't mean it was dreamy, as in, lovely people, floaty dresses, fragrant flowers, etc.
I mean, it was a dream - a literal dream.
I'm not sure if it was because I had it so close to waking, but it seemed real; it made sense (as opposed to being all disjointed, with one thing or person turning into another).
First, I was with my family - my brothers, my sisters-in-law, and my mother (who died 18 months ago). Strangely, my daughter and niece weren't there. It was the wedding of the cousin of a childhood family friend and we didn't know the bride or groom. We were invited because, although the wedding was taking place in New Jersey (I think), it was a Scottish wedding (indeed, the family friend is Scottish as well).
The wedding itself was bizarre. And there was nothing Scottish about it - no bagpipes, no kilts, not even a charming highland brogue. It was more of a redneck wedding - the sort that would take place back in the 'hollers' of Appalachia, with the groom in his best jeans and the bridesmaids in neon pink. I spent the whole ceremony wondering why we were there and itching to leave. My mother, displeased at having been misled, declared often - and loudly - that it was not, in fact, a Scottish wedding, and she went so far as to play a cassette of bagpipe music from her purse during the ceremony. (I know, it sounds dream-bizarre, but if I'm honest, it's something she would have considered doing.)
As the reception was starting, and the scary-skinny, overly made-up bride was practicing her bouquet toss to her neon-clad cronies, I told my mother we shouldn't stay for the meal, as it didn't seem fair for the couple to pay for our dinners when they didn't know us. My mother, however, didn't agree and decided we were staying. For once, I didn't argue with her (funny how I worked out how to walk away from disagreement only after she died. Story of my life).
So here's the meaty part of the dream...
I was standing at a large round table, at which my sister-in-law was seated. We were chatting about the strange ceremony and how I didn't think we should stay. Now, you should know that my sister-in-law is a completely and utterly wonderful woman - caring and generous and kind. In real life, she wouldn't say boo to a goose. But when the dream-server, who was dishing up a really disgusting fish course (complete with head and tail), couldn't find a plate and put the poor, barely-dead sea creature straight onto the table cloth, my sister-in-law went ballistic. She screamed at the server, berating her and ordering her to take the offending first course off the table. Shocked by her uncharacteristic outburst, I quickly found a small stack of plates and, unceremoniously slapped the fish onto one. Then I threw several other plates onto the table, to catch the other meals the server (unaffected by the insults being hurled at her) was dropping at each chair.
Then, somehow, at a wedding that was neither mine, nor that of anyone I knew, and for which I had zero responsibility, I decided it was my job to lay the tables. All the tables. For 100 guests.
The problem, however, was that there were no plates. Zero plates.
I ran back to the kitchen to find some, but there weren't any. I yelled at the dishwasher that I needed plates, plates, and more plates, and I needed them THAT MINUTE! He slid a stack across a stainless steel table to me, but they were still dripping wet and most were still dirty. This started a lengthy screaming match, during which he'd toss me a clean plate or two. I'd run them out to the tables and then come back for more, hollering all the while. I was stressed and frustrated and furious.
And then I woke up.
(Interestingly, my blood pressure, which I now take immediately upon waking, was only 111/73 - the lowest it's been in a while. Not what I expected!)
After eating breakfast (which was not fish, nor possessed of a head or tail), I went to The Google. I looked up possible meanings for dreaming of taking responsibility for things that are not your business, setting the table, plates, fish, and yelling one's bloody head off.
Here's what I found:
Taking Responsibility - "Taking responsibility in a dream will often show that you have been feeling an outsized sense of responsibility for things or people in real life. Maybe others have been depending on you and you realize that you have to be at your best. Maybe you fear losing your job. Maybe you wish to do as much as you can but whatever you do, things still might go wrong. Often we feel a sense of guilt but really have no power to stop things happening." (So, basically my life playing out while I sleep. Cool.)
Plates - "Seeing plates in your dream is related to your ideas, concepts, and attitudes. If the dishes are dirty and unwashed, then the interpretation is related to your discontent and pessimistic perspective. You may have overlooked some problems in your life or you're not connected with your own emotions." (Problems? What problems?)
Fish - "If you dream about a fish on a plate, or that you are eating cooked fish, it is a positive sign. Dreams about served fish are always related to material success. These dreams indicate you will be lucky in matters of money and finances. Dreams about fish on a plate mean good health, good fortune, wealth, and abundance." (I'm thinking a fish slapped right onto the tablecloth probably isn't quite as promising, amirite?)
Yelling - Dreams that feature loud arguments and shouting suggest that you may be at conflict with yourself in your waking life. Alternatively, sometimes shouting dreams are a way for people to get things off their chest without actually hurting anyone in their waking life." (Diane, step away from the baseball bat.)
After all that, here's what I figured out...
...
I probably shouldn't eat chili before bed.
How about you? Any strange dreams lately?
XO,
Wow! I often wonder when I wake with what I think is a rapid heart rate due to a stressful dream if my blood pressure actually is elevated. That's crazy that yours was still low. And I love that you went the extra step to decode your dream! Maybe you have a deep desire to see your well behaved sister in law completely lose it. ;)
ReplyDeleteHaha... my well-behaved sister-in-law deserves to lose it every now and then. That woman is a saint!!
DeleteYes, a weird one last week where I was walking around and having all these random conversations with women I didn't know. They were all pleasant and trying to have a normal conversation, but I kept asking about hot flashes and how everyone else was dealing with them, if they had them, etc. And the women would stop, give me a weird look, and go talk to someone else.
ReplyDeleteThat made me laugh out loud!! But honestly, I've probably had some real life experiences like it!
Delete