Dream! Dream, I had a Dream in Dreams

  • Nov. 4, 2023, 12:58 p.m.
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  • Public

I haven’t dreamt in quite awhile due to sleep problems. But the last week has been better. And now I’ve finally had a dream.
For context, I listened to a podcast about what to ask your unconscious. It was quite good.

I was a younger me, well 18, as I stated so in the dream.
I was in the aftermath of an undefined something wherein everyone left their homes. I was wandering around a neighborhood of empty houses, and found one that was open, so I went in. Time passed and I spent some time alone, locking up the house and defending against potential intruders. Then I began to become aware of more people outside the house who weren’t interested in intruding. So I went out to see them. We were all young- actually I and another boy were the oldest at 18. Everyone was various ages of child. A lot of time went by in which we were simply disorganized and exploring the abandoned neighborhood. Then we eventually all came together.
There was a roll call of sorts, where it was determined that I and the other boy were the oldest. “How old are you?” another boy asked me, who had already been determined to be 16.
“Eighteen” I said, and heard “Eighteen” echoed behind me, apparently because the boy who I’ll call Sean thought he was being asked.
“Oh, okay,” the 16yo said. “You two are in charge, then.” he spoke in a matter of fact way and almost seemed relieved to have someone older to give authority to. I raised my eyebrows, turned to Sean.
There was little to do really except delegate tasks. Most everyone had a sibling or 2 and had their basic needs met. So my inclination was long term planning, and also a desire to reveal my interest in this other 18 year old boy, Sean. While I was happy to divide the tasks up, I kept them cooperative to give some opportunity of getting to know him.
Some time passed and, I was working on some sort of educational activity like reading to the smaller kids, and up to this point I had not had the opportunity that I was desiring. To my surprise, Sean himself came to ask if I could review some math for him. I set down what I was doing, ensuring that the littles were safely occupied in their activities, and went to his work area.
(Now, I’m pretty good at math; not a genius, but I comprehend higher levels and know when something isn’t right).
As I was reviewing some of the work, he said little, but seemed very interested and concentrated on the material. While I was reviewing- it was some kind of electronic device like an ipad or similar- I moved to the next proof and instead of the work being continued there, it was a music video or something. I felt a little confused, like maybe it was something he was watching and it was in the playlist or whatever. I looked up but he made a sort of gesture like he was curious what I thought of this. I continued to watch it but it was silly. Some kind of pop music song about lust or a breakup or something. Instead of watching the whole thing I just scrolled back to the problem.
I felt Sean become less focused and move his attention elsewhere.
A younger girl - but still an adult I suppose, maybe 17- came up to us. She seemed upset, was huffing and sighing and her expression was sad. “Hey maybe you guys can help me? She looked at me hopefully, but then at Sean with all the telling signs of having a severe crush. Rather curious, I nodded, and she launched into a pretty long and complicated story about how another boy was horrible, broke her heart, and she was sad, and there was a lot of drama and reasons to pity her. After she was done, she looked at Sean, again with that hopeful crushing optimism, and he just looked at me with a sort of bemused, almost bored expression.
“Ah, well, there isn’t really anything I can do.” I told the girl. “Why did you choose to spend so much time with him and put so much trust in him?”
At my question, Sean’s eyebrows raised in a ‘oh, wow’ kind of way. I wondered which kind of ‘wow’ it was, and felt more curious about him. The girl was imminently unhappy with my response, and didn’t even answer my question, when we both turned to see what Sean would say.
He grinned a little, and said something at once noncommittal and dismissive of the girl; I can’t remember exactly but his general attitude was that he was more concerned with the boy and wasn’t about to betray his concern and friendship over this trite nonsense. She sniffled in a defeated way, looked at me in a confused but admiring and almost awestruck manner, then moved away.
I looked at Sean and, I wondered if he would be the sort to want to have one of those cliche undefined distant dances of mutual like and interest, but never state intentions explicitly. Or if he was more assertive and honest. Just as I wondered at this though, he said,
“I find you very interesting, and I like to watch you work.”
A sort of electrified wave of pleasure washed over me, and I simply couldn’t help but smile.
“Plus you have a gorgeous smile.” he added, and of course I felt like I might melt. I thought of all the things I would love to know about him- his family, childhood, interests, what he loved or hated, his taste in music and art- and just said, “I’d like to know more about you,”

This dream was fairly transparent, I think, in answering my question about how to develop a positive motivation in pursuit of productive action, instead of what my default happens to be which is to fear and motivate by avoiding awful outcomes.
It also answered another question about the standard of relationship I want to pursue; that it is not seeking to be better than the girl who blames everyone else for her problems, but merely to state honestly my observations and curiosities; and she will either hate me for being honest or admire me for my courage in being honest when it is not beneficial.
And, I feel immensely grateful. I feel a sense of calm, content, and well-being.

Also maybe this is as small criticism from my unconscious that I am very serious and could not appreciate the sillyness or artistic value of the music video. Perhaps there is more of a price to denying ‘fun’.


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