Dream a Little Dream

My alarm clock is taunting me. It's just sitting there on the floor, showing me the time as it always does, but right now it's showing me that it's 7:30 in the morning. That is earlier than the time it normally tells me.

I had been fast asleep. I was lying on my stomach on my worn mattress, which now fells more like a sidewalk with a sheet over it than anything else. But I was also driving somewhere far away to see someone I did not want to see. It was the experience of seeing that person and not the hardness of my bed that has me sitting here uncomfortably, typing instead of sleeping.

Remembering my dreams is something that I do about as often I go to the library, almost never. When I do, however, they tend to leave a bit of an impression on me. Like right now as I think about driving with someone I barely know to see someone I have hurt in the past.

Telling someone about your dreams is useless. If you and I were to walk into a bar and then go on to describe what happened there to someone, they would understand fully. Chances are they've been in a bar and would be able to put together a mostly accurate picture of what you describe. They would build upon their own experiences and memories in order to visualize the anecdote (or fain interest in what you are saying and think about what they want for lunch).

Now what if you describe a dream? You may be able to convey the dream down to the last detail but dreams are not like reality. Everyone's mind's eye is different and capable of different things. Dreams can skip around, not make sense, take place from a perspective not your own, and generally defy every law that limits your reality. Dreams are just as much emotion as they are imagery. And those emotions mean something to you but cannot be felt the same way by others. Dreams are deeply personal for this reason (not to mention the fact that the whole thing takes place inside your head).

So while I'll probably tell someone today about the trip I took while I was asleep and what happened when I saw her, I'll do it merely to get the dream out of me. To alleviate the pressure from the feelings it stirred up and to help me maintain my sanity.