Stress Dreams

Every time my life becomes a bit chaotic, I can expect a visit from my subconscious. I've reassured myself that I’m fine…obviously I've failed to convince all parts of my psyche.

• As a college student, my mind invented the “showing up for test day in a class I've never attended” dream.
• As a college student/cocktail waitress, my mind threw in the "drink glasses that empty before reaching customers" dream.
• Once I became a parent, my repertoire grew to include the "never-completed emergency call because I can’t push the correct buttons” dream… I really hate that one…
• Periodically, I also find myself floating in a river or ocean, in complete darkness, moving toward places unknown…I’m not too fond of that one either…
  
  After years of the same frustrating dreams, my mind created a new one last night. Learning my husband will continue working in another state for a year may have provided incentive. Throw in the terrorist factor of recent years and, voila, my stress dream repertoire became multi-cultural.
  
  I dreamed that my daughter and I were flying to France, while my husband was home for the weekend. Obviously, my subconscious was telling me I need a break. Although, as much as I love my daughter, I’m not sure why she was taking the break with me :)
  
  Anyway, first we couldn’t get our luggage to the curb in time for the shuttle, even though I kept carrying it out of the house. Then my husband drove us to the airport, and we missed our flight—truly, it wasn’t his fault. Once in the air, I realized I didn’t have a passport, couldn’t leave the States, and needed to return home. Searching the New York airport frantically, I couldn’t find the return airline we needed.
  
  In the midst of all that, faceless terrorists began chasing us through the terminal, and I was terrified for my daughter. I woke in a cold sweat—that phenomenon really does happen—and decided to book a massage ASAP.
  
  I’m so bummed to have a new stress dream…