Sunday, March 8, 2015

I've been walking in my sleep

Let's pretend we welcome Daylight Saving Time.  While we're at it, we could pretend it is still the latter half of the 20th century in which we were, those of us of a certain age, young and watched The Monkees.  Their "Daydream Believer" has never lost relevance for me, likely never will.

I was elbowed yesterday by a Facebook post about the importance of dreams and how we can begin to unravel their wisdom by starting to write down as much as we remember upon waking each morning.  Don't try to make sense of them, the article cautioned, almost promising that as we become more consistent with recording them, our recall will widen and the messages they convey will be less obscure.  Decades ago I kept a dream journal until the book intended for the purpose was filled.  I was more practiced in the art of remembering and imagine I can become that way again.

Dreams and their waking counterparts, daydreams, tell us stories about ourselves.  That the telling may be in code is not intended to keep us from their secrets.  We are meant to understand and inhabit the stories, their value all the greater for the work they ask of us.  Dream on, my sisters and brothers.

4 comments:

Erin in Morro Bay said...

As my fatigue grows - I'm learning the joy of extra sleeping and dreaming. That doze-y feeling just before waking when the dreams are still fresh. And how could we doubt the Monkees?
Erin

Elizabeth said...

I love all this music! And I feel like I used to have far more vivid dreams when I was younger -- perhaps it's only because I paid attention to them. It seems like now I wake up with stuff on my mind -- not good stuff, either. I wish I could linger on the probably far more interesting stuff that's going on in my dreams!

Marylinn Kelly said...

Erin - My first thought is the wish that your fatigue was lessening. The second is that I know very well the need and resultant joy of sleeping as much as is required and I also know and savor that feeling of dreams coming to life just before waking up. This morning it was finding a red dress for my wedding. The Monkees and the songwriter, John Stewart, who was with the Kingston Trio (time capsule!) for a time. Never doubted them for an instant. Healthy thoughts for you. xo

Marylinn Kelly said...

Elizabeth - The all-jukebox blog, sometimes I feel tempted. Glad you enjoy the music. Do you think we can train ourselves to by-pass the demands ordinary reality places on our minds? I do believe the dreams are always under there. For me, I think it has taken a greater degree of relaxation so that I now find myself dreaming even during some fairly brief naps. The dreams are certainly more interesting, much more surprising, movies for which we have not read any spoilers. Wishing you the return of delightful dreams. xo