For example, have you ever read the book 'The Giver"? If not, you should...here's the quick rundown without giving away any of the ending. The book is set in a "utopia" where all things have been regulated and equalized. People don't see in color, don't remember pain and suffering, relinquish all decision making to committees and the government, and entrust all past memories of the world as it used to be to a Keeper of Memories. In the book, a new Keeper of Memories is selected and has to receive all the memories from "The Giver." This transfer happens through a kind of "dream" where the experience is passed between the old guy and the new guy.
Ok...that's not a very good summary...but here's where I'm going with it. These "dreams" are memories...just pure experiences. So it's not so much that he wakes up remembering a whole story that happened, but more that he wakes up suddenly remembering what it feels like to have sun shining on his face, or what it would be like to run through dewy grass. They're experiences.
So...back to my small, glittering hopes from the week. This morning I woke up at about 4:30 dreading the day ahead, and I tossed and turned for a while before finally dozing back off. And after dozing off I had a "dream." But it's not like I normally dream...which is to say it wasn't a little story that played out in my mind. This dream was very much just being part of a moment/experience part of dream. From 5:00AM to 6:00AM as I lay in bed asleep, I dreamed I was sitting on a sandy beach, wrapped up in a blanket with J Word, and we were watching the northern lights. That's it...the whole dream. That's all we did for the whole thing. No talking...nothing going on in the background...just us sitting and watching the northern lights. And when my alarm clock went off at 6:00AM, I woke up and thought, "That is the best dream I've ever had!!!"
The rest of the day was kind of a nightmare, but that dream was super perfect! And it was a small glimmer in what's been a ridiculous week.
1. I'm just trying to understand: J Word has been exceptionally understanding this week as I've ranted and raved and sometimes just decided not to talk because I was sick of talking to people in general. In fact, I will say beyond even this week, he does a pretty good job of understanding me on the whole...which is probably a good thing to say about the person you married. (Somewhere he might be sitting and reading this thinking I'm the most confusing person in the world and make absolutely no sense...in which case, he pretends to understand me really well!) ;) In any case, despite all that, along came this list this week that CLICK HERE identified 23 parts of the female experience that men will never understand. And I laughed because all women know #12 is true...and #14 was an active discussion at our house this week. So there is, at least, a little bit of truth to be told here!
2. Revealing your true self : It's almost time for Halloween, and that means it's almost time for Halloween costumes!! After abandoning the necessity or desire for a Halloween costume for most of my college years (I just never embraced the 'Slutty __(insert nurse/police officer/fire fighter/kitten/etc.) ____ trend), I've come to like it again now that I get to wear something goofy to school and be silly with grown-up friends. (And by grown up I mean past the slutty college costume phase.) This year J Word and I are doing a couples costume...stay tuned for that big reveal. And if you're still stumped as to what you might want to wear, then CLICK HERE for a few ideas for you/your significant other/the two of you together.
3. We need a 12 step program for this: Today there was another school shooting, bringing the total to three for the week. Today we also participated in an active shooter training for our district, and while it's good to be prepared, I couldn't help but think that it's insane that we need to be doing this. We have a gun problem in the US. Some people will say the guns aren't the problem, it's the people with the guns that are the problem...but the fact that those people have guns is a problem too...so really we have a problem with people and guns and...yeah...it's just all very messed up! Every time something like this happens, politicians and community leaders and activists and lobbyists all start screaming about whose fault it is and what we're going to do. Today I'll add my voice to the cacophony. We can't keep pretending that, because we need "good guys with guns" we should do nothing to keep "bad guys from getting guns." If the government has the right to tell a woman what she can/can't do with her body...they have the right to tell people who can/can't have a gun!
4. This song's been in my head all week. Then I read the lyrics and thought, this might be my anthem this week. So this one's dedicated to J Word, and here's to a better week ahead!
Happy Trails,
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