I DREAMT OF YOU LAST NIGHT

I DREAMT OF YOU LAST NIGHT

But you invaded my dream. Why?

You were nothing more than a young woman’s fantasy. (silent chuckle) Actually, if truth be told, you still ….were – are?

There were times when I’d be trying desperately to shut off my brain for a good night’s sleep, that’s when you’d cross my mind.

It was always just a silly fantasy but often, that fantasy relaxed me and I’d wake up the next morning feeling refreshed.

You’re nothing more to me than a celebrity I’d never, in a million years meet in person. And that’s fine with me!

I always believed that everyone, and often especially women, need a fantasy to chase away the humdrums of daily life.

Let’s face it. All too often, even during our married lives we work. Oh, now, I’ve gotten me started. Where’s my soapbox?

We work! Yeah, we sure do.

We:

Clean the house

Shop for groceries

Put the groceries away once we get them home

Cook

Wash the dishes

Wash the clothes and put them away once they’re dried

Iron the clothes if necessary

Take care of the young children

Pay the bills

Keep track of appointments

And the list goes on and on….

AND all this while many of us work outside the home.

Oh, and let’s not forget trying to keep track of any and all social events for the kids, husband and ourselves and the entire family.

Hobbies? Do we have time? If we’re lucky, we can make some time.

My children are grown with families of their own, so they no longer need “dear old mom” for daily chores. (whew!) That leaves hubby and me.

At this stage of our lives, he takes care of … hmm, pruning the bushes outside and power washing our back porch. (To be fair, he’s at the age and health where sleeping is his best exercise.)

Hey, life happens! We pick up the pieces and do what needs to be done. Isn’t that what life’s about? We take care of each other.

So, what if we older women relax by grabbing a fantasy or two to help us sleep? It’s a lot better than melatonin. My husband fantasizes about fishing and catching that great big red drum! I often awaken as he’s moving his arms while “reeling in that great big fish”. My fantasy? Well, let’s just say he’s a very handsome singer who lives on another continent. So, you see? Chances of ever meeting him are totally impossible.

Guess you’re wondering what the content of those fantasies might be. I think I’ll just leave that to your (clean) imagination.

While at this age, I work outside the home on a part time basis, there is still much to do inside. I’m not complaining, just stating a fact. But at the same time, I’m still able to include in my life two hobbies which I love. The first is writing. While it will never make me rich or famous, I have fun doing it. Same with photography. I’m as far from being a professional photographer as a newborn baby. I’m a “dabbler” but I still have fun – even more fun when I place them on the internet and someone comments that I have a “natural eye” for this kind of art.

You can easily see how occupied my mind can be.

Oh, good grief! After reading what I’d just written, I can see for myself how my mind can wander. No wonder I try to lose myself in a bedtime fantasy. After all, isn’t that what we’d read to our children when they were little? Does a cow really jump over the moon? I can imagine a dish running away with a spoon – after all, I am a klutz and when I drop one thing, something else will usually follow.

Okay, so, I’m again getting off the track.

All too often, but not always, when I go to bed, I’ll turn on my kindle and read for about fifteen minutes. Then, I turn it off and within minutes, I’m, well, if I’m in dreamland, I don’t usually remember them. Now and then, they’re so vivid, they almost seem real.

That’s what happened a few weeks ago.

I was in my second week of recovering nicely at home from a very painful surgery. The pain meds were beneficial for a peaceful and dreamless sleep. Except for one night.

As I lay awake, I smiled as I watched my husband’s hands as he fought to reel in that massive fish. I turned off my kindle and closed my eyes.

The next morning, I woke up wondering how he managed to invade my dream. I hadn’t thought of him in quite some time and yet, there he was – standing in a room where I had just entered. He was leaning against a table, staring in my eyes and said, “I hope you’re feeling better and will be back to yourself faster than you expect.”

You know how sometimes you dream and think, “Wow, that dream felt so real!” This was nothing at all like that and yet, I couldn’t help but wonder, why, of all the people I know, did this person I never met and never will, appear in my dream and ask about my health.

He doesn’t even know I exist and yet - -

Well, I do write about Irish witches, don’t I?