Oh What Dreams

I don't often give dreams much thought beyond any recollection of them the next morning. There are a few exceptions, like when waking up isn't enough to convince me whatever occurred in my sleep didn't actually happen and those that generally have me freaked out. Other than that, dreams are something I don't think much about when they are over, but I definitely remember them more often than not.

This past week I had a recurring dream, followed by an all-too-closely related one. It is quite clear my subconscious mind is working something out. My childbearing years have long since gone by, so when I revisit labor, quite suddenly, in my dreams I usually awake a little rattled. I've dreamt I was pregnant and in labor in the past, even had dreams where I was caring for an infant but had no idea where it came from. I can say two things with a fair degree of certainty. One, these type of dreams almost always occur right before I make big changes in my life - much like what any vague dream definition might allude to. The second thing is that I've never had these type of dreams in a recurrent fashion. This morning I was almost half expecting (pun intended) to find a baby in the house. Much as I love my sons, and babies that aren't mine, I was relieved that wasn't the case.

So, given the persistence of this theme, I can't help but think there must be some deeper meaning for me to consider. Given my current focus on writing, the likely explanation is creative developments just beneath my fully conscious mind. Life gives us signs and most of the time we often miss them. I have been guilty of brushing off ideas or ignoring things that quite clearly were poised to send me in the direction of something that could have changed where I am today. Whatever the reasons for not following these nudges, it makes little sense to dwell on the what ifs. Instead, being aware of future hints and the universe's suggestive influence may well lead me to the next step on my path. 

Just what these dreams mean — the significance they may hold is highlighted for me by the frequency in which they have shown up over the course of a week. The best way to unveiling whatever creative masterpieces lie just out of reach is paying attention to any and all possible glimpses. In this case, dreams. I believe this recent round of subconscious charades will prove to be interesting no matter what the ultimate outcome turns out to be.