What was first strange about it was that all the conversation, even the narration I was hearing, was in a Biblical-like voice, much like if you were reading directly from a King James text. The voice mentioned the Book of Acts and it was as if events from the time were taking place, although I admittedly had never read from that scripture and knew nothing of its contents. As the dream unfolded, we were confronted by a violent storm, terrifying in that our ship started to break up and and we seriously feared we’d all drown.
But what made it so memorable, something I’ll never forget was when I woke up and, everything being so real about the experience, scrounged around and found a bible and read Acts for the first time. Needless to say, I was absolutely blown away to read of Paul’s trip from Myra to Rome by ship, of the storm and being shipwrecked. I’d never heard that before, knew nothing of it and yet my dream had referenced that book, used similar language and had unfolded just like what I was reading.
I’m still not sure what to make of that, not reading too much into it but never forgetting it either.
I’ve had some really surreal dreams that are so weird they defy explanation. One particularly memorable dream was from when I was in college around 1991. I was still living with my parents as the college is close by. One morning (in the dream, that is) I was leaving for my classes it was rather dark (supposed to be daytime) and overcast. A strong gust of wind blew me back into the house, which was also dark, as if all the lights were turned off. My mother was sitting in her recliner. I told her I was afraid to leave. My mother assured me there was nothing to be afraid of and encouraged me to go back out. I did, only for the strong, cold wind to blow me back again. I told my mom that I could not leave the house because the wind kept blowing me back. My mother then got up and told me she would come outside with me and make sure I was safe. As we got out into the driveway two men wearing black- and yellow-striped shirts suddenly appeared before us (perhaps due to my fear of bees, wasps, etc. my dream constructed this image). One of them had a gun pointed at us. He said, “Okay, which one of you is first?” At that point I woke up, scared. but relieved it was only a dream.
My friends were all scattered all over the field at my elementary school at recess. Over the course of recess the field became the Canadian/Mexican boarder and was suddenly riddled with land mines! (I have no idea what happened to the US)
I had the ability to fly so I flew around picking up all my friends and moving them out of the land mines and into Canadian soil.
It started out with my mom dropping me off in Detroit to catch a movie. It was really crowded. I had decided that I actually didn’t want to see the movie but she was gone before I could tell her. She didn’t have her phone with her. At the same theater, I randomly met my friends Mica and Jess.
I tried calling my dad, who was in a panic because I had to decide right then and there if I was going back to Japan to work for a month. “Jeez,” I thought “Another month? Away from everyone? That’s so long! I wanted to have a summer with Daniel! But I could use the money…”
Next segment. I’m in Japan with Liz, who is staying there for a year through JET.
Right from the airport we walk into a temple and see my brother! What are the odds?! He seems as surprised as I am. I really missed him so I ran up and hugged him. I’m just so happy I can see him again, and I’m so happy that I’m in Japan again, I could just cry. We walk to a group of guys, it turns out to be his squad. They’re all dressed up in the normal army clothing but my brother is dressed in a colorful blue yukata with an orange sash. As usual, he towers above everyone yet fits in at the same time.
“Have you tried any of the local foods? Okonomiyaki? Takoyaki*?” He hasn’t, so I run off to go buy some takoyaki. Running through the narrrow arcade, I see a small shop. I speak in Japanese to the vendor but he tries to sell me dango instead. “Wow, my Japanese must be terrible” I think. They’re fresh out of takoyaki so I ask if I could at least take my 500yen coin back. I run back to my brother and with my friends we try to go through the markets to find another stand.
We run past the usual McDonald’s and 100 yen shops; I have to stop my brother from giving up and just going to McD’s and stop my friends from looking at clothes (although I myself get distracted by the doohickeys at the 100yen shop). For some reason, it was essential to find takoyaki for my brother.**
Next segment. I’m drawing. People are commenting on my drawings. I even look at them and think “Yeah, these are pretty good!”
My first reaction when I woke up was a total “WTF?!”. It’s because of all the grains of truth and falsities that were in this dream. In real life. my mom would never drive me around seeing as I can’t stand to be around her. While Mica and Jess were my friends in high school I haven’t been friends with Jess in over two years and I’ve all but lost contact with Mica. In real life, I would love the opportunity to go back to Japan and a month would seem too little time if anything. Liz is my housemate who went to Kyoto with me and she actually is going back through JET in the fall.
I would really be so happy to see my brother, I wasn’t able to see him the last time before he left for Iraq. I’ve promised myself that when he comes back, I’ll take him to Japan somehow. Oh, and okonomiyaki and takoyaki were my favorite foods when I lived in Kyoto :D. Speaking in Japanese in my dreams always seems weird; it’s even worse when it’s a mixture of Japanese, English, and Spanish. The drawing part was funny in that I’m my own worst critic and I haven’t drawn anything in years due to that and artist’s block.
It was all so strange but felt 100% real at the same time. Definitely the weirdest dream I can remember having in a long time.***
*Squid balls!
**I mean, how could you not try takoyaki when in Japan?!
***Except for the dream where I difused a grapefruit. But there wasn’t much detail to the dream itself.
Has anyone ever had a dream break for a commercial? I had that happen once. Once that I remember, anyway. It was a commercial for the book, Falling Woman.
I have some pretty weird dreams, though my husband’s are even more detailed and strange.
One of my weirdest was being chased through a giant haunted hotel. Danny Bonaduce was trying to kill me. I had a 6-pack of beer in my hand and was trying to bash him with it. (I don’t drink and have never been interested in Danny Bonaduce.)
The other day I dreamed we were going to buy a car (which we do actually need to do). My husband was insisting that we buy this huge old sedan, which was a very shiny dark olive green–it looked like a giant pickle. The driver’s door had been smashed and re-shaped, and it was all dented and covered with bondo. I was thinking that it would be an awful gas-guzzler, and wondering what silly name I should give it–the Picklemobile, or what?