And you were there...and you were there...

[thunter34]

And you were there….and you were there  OR:  The Nightmare That Wasn't

Ok, I must be spending waaay too much time here on AM lately because you folks were even in my dreams last night!  No, seriously.  A storm woke me up in the middle of it, and I got up and wrote down everything I could remember about it while it was right there in my head.  It was so vivid, bizarre and totally cool all at the same time.  I hardly ever remember so much detail about my dreams…guess that’s the main thing that has me so jazzed on it.  Anyway, I can see now that I have typed it out what it was saying and why the message was so in my head…and why I decided to go ahead and post it up on here.  I can tell that it's my brain's sci-fi way of trying to process some of the conflicts we've had on here lately.  You may think it’s kinda cool, too.  You may think it’s totally dumb and dorky. Whatever.  Here it is.


We (all of us here, I suppose) were faced with the challenge of making it down a river.  In typical dream fashion, this river was also a haunted house of sorts.  Rather than walk from room to room, we went by raft.  The “rooms” were points along the way that we had no choice but to stop at or perish.  At each of these points, there was a torch and a parchment with someone’s name written in blood.  It was up to the person whose name was written to go forward at this stop on behalf of the group.  That person alone had to face what was there and would either perish or return with something that would further the whole group on the trip down the river.  In other words, each one would have to face a terror individually but their success or failure would impact the whole group.

At the first stop, we came to the shore to find all of our names on the scroll.  From out of the shadows, figures emerged.  They were seen to be an assembly of ghosts.  We were all growing frightened, but then one came forth with arms outstretched.  He offered a necklace made of bones.  The others held up their arms to reveal the same.  There was one for each and every one of us.  They all spoke in unison as a whisper.  They told us that these necklaces were for good fortune on our journey.  They were a source of magic.  They told us that, while they could not protect us from harm’s way, they would help us find the tools within us needed to fight our enemies. They also gave us a map that provided guidance for the first part of the journey.  The river apparently had many tributaries; venturing down the wrong way might mean disaster. They told us the other pieces of the map would be found at each stop along the trip.  That would be the reward for successfully battling the demons and monsters along the way.   They wished us wisdom, strength, courage for what was ahead.  They offered one last word, Love, and vanished upward into the night sky.

Determined anew by our gifts, we continued down the river.  A howling was heard.  The hair on my neck stood up when I saw the source:  a dog with human eyes was just to the side of us along the shore.  I was yelling that we had to do something…run, kill it, anything!  Someone shouted, “Wait!  I don’t think he’s dangerous!  I don’t know…just wait!”  The dog spoke.  “I am here to help guide you.”


At this point, sadly, I began to get cloudy about the details.  I do know it was about all of us specifically because of these last few fragments:

At one stop, the name on the scroll was ‘Melia’.  I only remember her coming out of a cave trembling.  She said, “I need someone to hold me…but here…” and held up her piece of the map.

I was aware that Matty was also among us, but not in the raft.  He was running along the river, somewhere in the cliffs above.  His voice would echo off the cliffs, so that each time he spoke, only a few would get what he was saying.  The only thing we all heard clearly was the last thing he said before I woke: 

                                                  “You think you’re some evil fuckers?!”

I don’t know who (or what) that cry was aimed for, but I had the sensation that he was preparing to go hand-to-hand with some monsters just out of sight.

The last thing I remember as I was waking was Thomas (Skeebo) emerging from a cave waving his piece of the map.  He was yelling out, “Ha, ha!!”  He looked at me and said, “You’ll be ok, but you really need to see this…”  I could feel some sense of dread growing inside.  I stepped backward and up against…Joe Kilfoile.  I looked into the cave.  I could see some shadows moving.  I heard a low, prolonged hissing sound.

And then I woke.  *Sigh*  That’s it.  Yep…my dream went all Kubla-Khan on me.  So you see, I can tell that it was about this place because of all the specific people involved.  The other cool thing is that I could tell…feel, actually that it was a dream that was intended to be a nightmare but never quite was.  Each time a fear was at hand, someone stepped forth to conquer it and we were all able to travel further.  But I knew somewhere deep down that eventually the name on the scroll was going to be mine…my time to face a demon.  I was running the bones on the necklace through my fingers, hoping it would begin to work its magic.

Oh, and that dog with human eyes?  Rapid Rod.

[Queen Tokelove]

Thunter,

That was some dream. You must really love us! I'm glad I wasn't in that dream cause the Queen does not do boats, rafts, or cruise ships. The only water I want to be immersed in is either a shower or a bath. Could you imagine if I was on that boat and my weed got wet? And nothing available to dry it? *shudders* 

[aupointillimite]

Actually, I find that dream to be quite complimentary... I have my own interpretation, but I won't bore everyone with my own analysis here. 

But just from what you said of the narrative... that would make a really sweet Buffy episode.  And I heart Buffy.

[thunter34]

Queen:  I'm certain you were there in the dream, I just remember those ones specifically.

In fact, I think those ghosts handed you a spleef instead of a necklace!  LOL...just kidding about that part!

[skeebo1969]

  Atripla by any chance?   I always get the small parts..  either that or the first one killed.   The next part is where the raft got pushed by a strong current and I got pushed under the water, hence why I woke up drenched last night!!  OK people who else has been including me in their dreams this week?


   Thomas
 
PS I'm still waiting for my atripla trip, I'm not even dreaming at all.

[thunter34]

Skeebo:  Nope.  No Aptripla, no Ambien...hell, no reefer or anything.  Go figure.

Aupointillimite:  Yes, that's why I wrote it down and posted it.  I knew in an instant that it was about working together for survival, the need for individual bravery to face personal demons and each of us advancing from the bravery of others.

Oh...and the gifts from those who had gone and fallen before, their blessings of strength, courage, wisdom and love.

Queen A:  Yes, I do.  I really and truly do.

[thunter34]

I woke up drenched last night!!  OK people who else has been including me in their dreams this week?

Skeebo:  I'm afraid if I included you in another dream, I might end up...ahem, drenched as well. 



~+

(Oh, yes...I went there...)

[bear60]

You gotta love those dreams!!!  Ok...mine: my dentist committed suicide in front of me.  I had no ability to stop him and he looked me in the eye and said " I have to do it" and blew his brains out. He was only wearing briefs and was kinda writhing on the floor.  Wierd huh.

[thunter34]

Yipe!  LOL

I'm not gonna even try to analyze that one.


Stepping Momentarily Off topic:     BEAR  HUG  !!!

[ademas]

I had a dream last month that swede_dish was my camp counselor at summer camp. 
All the kids loved her, and she rode around the camp in a chauffeured, bright yellow Hummer.
I have no idea where that came from.

[Eldon]

Hey Thunter34,

A journey down the river...definitely a pathway that is being used as a metaphor in order to get to a certain destination. The map is used to navigate its course. The reason that there were others in the dream was to assist you on your journey down the river so you can make it to a certain destination.

Hey Ademas,

She was there in order to teach you or to assist you with a portion of your journey.

Make the BEST of each Day!

[Joe K]

Your dream reminds me of the Phillip Jose Farmer series called Riverworld.  The entire premise of the book was a seeming endless river which was populated by every human who had ever lived.  A group get together and decide they are going to seek the source of this river.  So you have people like Mark Twain, Hitler, Jonas Salk and thousands of others populating this river and the series describes years of travel to find the source.

As with your dream, they made progress up the river by utilizing the traits of the people they would meet to help them on their journey.  Every person seemed to be integral to the journey, even when playing very divergent roles.  Eventually they reach the source, but I won't spoil the ending because it's a really great series.

Maybe it reflects the simplicity of true human kindness and our desire to raise us all into the light.

[Jeffreyj]

Sounds like an updated "Deliverance"...LoL...

[thunter34]

I had a dream last month that swede_dish was my camp counselor at summer camp. 
All the kids loved her, and she rode around the camp in a chauffeured, bright yellow Hummer.
I have no idea where that came from.

Perhaps not...but it sure sounds like a fun dream!

[cph9680]

"'I'll let you be in my dream, if I can be in your deam' I said that." - Bob Dylan

[thunter34]

I have a dream, a fantasy
To help me through reality
And my destination makes it worth the while
Pushing through the darkness still another mile
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I'll cross the stream - I have a dream
I'll cross the stream - I have a dream

~ABBA

[sweetasmeli]

YAY Melia was in a cute guys dream! Obviously all about us all being there to help and support one another through this journey. Cool. Thanks for sharing Tim.

One question: Did ANYONE hold me?

Melia

[anniebc]

WoW...that was some dream..how did you remember it so much of it? I dream a lot but the minute I open my eyes the dreams have gone.

Sounds like you have been watching too many "survival" show's...

Thanks for sharing, it was very interesting to say the least.

Hugs
Jan

[AtomicA]

Jeebus, even on sustiva I never get anything that exciting. The best I get are dreams where I'm a super ninja with hands for feet (like in Aeon flux) that kicks the shit out of government agents/aliens in the hallways of Mac Hall at my school. That or the entire original silence of the lambs movie, complete with appearances by Jodi Foster and Anthony Hopkins. I've seen the whole movie from opening scene to closing credits in my head at least 4 times now, even though the last time I saw it on a real screen was 3 years ago! I always seem to wake up at the "it rubs the lotion on it's skin or else it gets the water again!" part but when I fall back to sleep it picks up right from where I left off.

ps, I'm a killer canoeist... if you're ever out on a raft again let me know. I'll steer you true!

[gvolts5]

Thunter - here is what your dream means:

You find the structure of society inefficient and problematic; some individual always has to step forward and solve the problem for the rest of the group.  You have an awareness that there is some place where people don't have to spend all their live-long-lives hoping for individuals who will be able to lead the group out of the dreaded confusion.

John

[allopathicholistic]

From out of the shadows, figures emerged.  They were seen to be an assembly of ghosts.  We were all growing frightened, but then one came forth with arms outstretched.  He offered a necklace made of bones.  The others held up their arms to reveal the same.  There was one for each and every one of us.  They all spoke in unison as a whisper.  They told us that these necklaces were for good fortune on our journey.  They were a source of magic.  They told us that, while they could not protect us from harm’s way, they would help us find the tools within us needed to fight our enemies.

hmmm, after reading that, this comes to mind:



10 points to anyone who knows who the above is and where she lives

Alex

[Cliff]

Cate Blanchette, errr Galadriel.  She lived in Tolkien's head, ala Middle Earth style....land of the Quendi. Or was that land of the Fendi?

[Andy Velez]

Tim, you go right to the head of Dream Class. That was a beaut. There seemed to be a lot of life and joy in it.

And I'm very impressed you could remember it in such detail. Mine usually rise only briefly and in fragments to consciousness before sinking back into the morass. 

I await the next installment with interest.

Cheers buddy,

[thunter34]

Hello, All!

Yes, I have to say that I am also impressed with myself that I was able to remember so much detail of it.  That's only because I jumped right out of bed to write down everything I could that instant.  It is so rare for me that I would ever have that many solid details in my head, I figured my brain must be trying to tell me it was important for some reason.  Based on all these responses, I am glad that I decided to share it with you folks.

Alex:  Interesting you should post that photo.  The whole dream did have a very Lord of the Rings feel to it- exactly!  Although I guess in this case it would be, "Bored of the Ribbons".  LOL

Melia:   Yes, baby.  I can proudly say that it was me.  I held you.

John/gvolts5:  I read your interpretation and agree with you.  I would say that is a pretty good assessment of me, but I also think it had a lot to do with all of us and our struggle against this disease.  I think the caves were probably the personal trials that we have to experience dealing with this, the pieces of map we all were providing were the ways we offer support to one another (such as sharing on here), and the first piece of the map we got from the Assembly of Ghosts was likely the benefits we have reaped from those who fought against this disease in the early days...the ASO's, the clinical trials that brought us medicines, what precious legislations we have thus far.

Andy:   If you read what is right above, I believe that would mean many you have known would be among that assembly.