Sunday night Brad and Angelina came to our house. They didn’t mean to, of course, they were only looking for someone else. But they wound up here all the same…in a very vivid dream of course. For some reason Hubby and I made the conscious decision as we invited them in–as conscious as it can be if it’s a dream–not to make a big deal over them. We invited them in to sit and chat awhile and one of the kids was in and out of the room where we all were. At first they seemed confused to be here and not very talkative.
Then I asked Brad something about his father, can’t remember what. He looked at Angelina and frowned. Angelina then explained to me that his father had died two days before. Then he visibly relaxed and they stayed. And stayed. So long, in fact, that we began to wonder when they would leave.I think I was wondering what to do and how to get them to go, and then I woke up. That’s one way to get them to leave I guess.
Now there’s nothing extraordinary in and of itself about a Brad and Angelina dream, I guess, and what it means is anybody’s guess. What is rather remarkable, I think, is that after a long period of not being able of sleeping more than three to four hours a night, probably due to chemo and its multiple aftereffects, I’ve finally begun to sleep again. Well enough I might add, and long enough, for REM sleep. Up to a couple of weeks ago, no matter what time I went to bed, I’d sleep a short time, then I’d toss and turn the rest of the night with brief periods of sleeping and waking. I can’t begin to count the hours I’ve spent this year watching the lighted ceiling clock tick slowly around until time to get up. I’d resigned myself to the fact that the older we get, the less REM sleep humans get.
But why dream about Brad? Probably because when you say Brad now, the name that seems to naturally bounce off the tongue next is Angelina–like Liz and Richard, Antony and Cleopatra, even Desi and Lucy before them. Famous or infamous coupledom, it is what it is.
Indeed, why Angelina? Probably because Hubby and I saw a dead ringer for her seated near us when we were eating at the Olive Garden a couple weeks ago. Adding to the effect, she woman was wearing the same type of knit skull cap in which Angelina has been photographed many times. I’m sure the fact she looks like a famous beauty hasn’t escaped her cognizance. She must have been looking for someone in our neighborhood even that evening; took her more than two weeks to find our house.
My cursory research on sleeping and dreaming reveals that vividly recalled dreams occur most often during REM sleep. What did Sunday’s Brad and Angelina dream mean? I haven’t the foggiest, but the following night I dreamed about my mother. It had been a very long time since I’ve seen her even in a dream. It was nice to hear her laugh again–at something I’d said or written.
If sleep is the golden thread that ties health and body together, then dreams must certainly be the movies our souls provide for enjoyment. I wonder who or what I’ll dream about tonight. Mostly I’ll just be happy to not be worry about whether I’ll be able to sleep like other people…so nice to feel (mostly) normal again.
Hope you all sleep and dream well and often.
My Wintersong 
I’m one of those people who doesn’t sleep well or long at the best of times and rarely remember dreams so this fascinates me.
I’ve never made a conscious decision to dream and I’d love to learn more about it. If you’ve time drop me a note.
If sleep is the golden thread that ties health and body together, then dreams must certainly be the movies our souls provide for enjoyment.
What a great line…
Sweet dreams, Alice!
This calls for another post on sleeping and dreaming, doesn’t it? You’ve given me an idea, though it’ll take forever–at my pace anyway–to get to it. Thanks for the inspiration!
I’m here in my jammies, catching up before I turn in. Enjoyed your post. So, good night, sleep tight (what does that mean anyway?), and sweet dreams!
Ah, so nice of you! Sleep tight. Could that refer to the hot toddies my grandma used to have each night before bedtime? I’m sure the spirits evaporated during the heating, but she said that was the secret of her 92 years of a good life.
I see someone beat me to the punch – If sleep is the golden thread that ties health and body together, then dreams must certainly be the movies our souls provide for enjoyment. – what a great line! Indeed. That is a keeper. I read your entry earlier and the line haunted me afterwards. Well done, Alice. Sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite….
Gosh, thanks! I was just trying to connect my new sleeping ability to what the hell does a dream about celebrities mean. I read your post about writing often, and couldn’t agree with you more. I should see a psychiatrist about my inability to write more often and about meaningful things. Or maybe I should schedule an Ayurvedic massage on that houseboat we’ve hired in Kerala for January, huh? My bro-in-law will be with us, and I’m sure he’ll caution me against it in the name of the horrors American women experience at the hands of the camel drivers in Rajastan (during the ’60s).
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I’m happy to hear you’re feeling better enough to dream! That’s progress! I liked how you tracked the source of your link to wakefulness with Anjelina. I, too, love it when I dream of my mother and hear her speak … or laugh. It’s a treat to see and/or hear from any of my old friends or loved ones that way. I also think your “line” was a keeper.
Thanks Edna! Would you believe that very night after posting this breakthrough to sleeping well again that I had another potentially sleepless night?! At 1:23 a.m. I finally got up and took two Tylenol PM; after about half an hour I fell asleep and slept until 8:20 the next morning. I don’t like to overuse them, but once in awhile won’t kill me I reckon.
A good night’s sleep… how I wish! Glad you are getting back to a good sleeping pattern. Enjoy!
Not all the way yet, Grannymar, but much much better! I’m enjoying my vivid dreams in the meantime.
Ah dreams….a cat one night and cats another night. The details fade, but the cats remain. I do miss my cats, but I certainly don’t miss being allergic to them. I didn’t wake to sneezing.
I miss my cats too. I’ll send you a link in an email followup that’ll make you want one for sure!
Hey Alice…..I saw it in my notes. It’s in the other blog….a row of mild porn saying the same thing over and over again. I hate making something private or so you have to leave a catch word. I really find those things intrusive. So my only option is to ignore or delete. I left them be.