The Dream Therein

The dream had been ongoing for nearly six months, reoccurring at least once a week, but sometimes more. Despite the repetition of it, Zoe didn’t know what the dream meant, but she knew that her subconscious was obviously attempting to make her aware of something. Each time, she awoke in a profuse sweat and immediately tried to jot down specifics about it, but the dream was nearly always identical in nature and no real conclusions were drawn.

Always, the dream began in the same way: she was drifting upon the open seas in a small rowboat. The real problem therein, however, was that she only had one oar with which to propel the small boat forward. The sun was brutal as it beamed overhead, threatening to suck every inch of energy from her, but still, she struggled relentlessly with the single oar as she slowly glided across the calm waters in search of land or anyone who could offer assistance. And as the small boat moved forward, she would always glimpse a blinking green light in the distance of the far horizon. Joy flooded her whenever she saw the light and immediately a second oar appeared in her empty hand so that she had two with which to make her way ever faster toward the blinking light that she inherently knew offered salvation from the encompassing sea. As she inched forward, the sun glared so brilliantly that she became blinded and unable to see who or what lay in front of her, but the feeling that flooded her entire being was intense and unadulterated joy before she awoke. She desperately longed to see exactly to what the green light really led and hoped the blinding sun would eventually clear in order to divulge more information to her.

Of late, Zoe had been debating resigning her job at a graphics firm, packing up, and moving to Italy, where she felt she could better pursue a job related to her Master’s Degree in Fine Art Studies. It was a serious move to contemplate, however, and she was hesitant to finalize it despite the fact she was young and the time was ripe for such things. Was the dream and the blinking green light in the far distance attempting to propel her to make this decision and change her life so drastically?

It was a Thursday morning as Zoe dressed for work, and she once again reviewed the dream’s scenario. What could it all mean? Why was she dreaming the same thing time and again? Was this blinking light symbolic of a new job, a potential new person or lover in her life, or even something new she was supposed to be doing? It was all rather vague, and she was unsure, and as of yet, she could reach no conclusions that had any bearing on the fruition of the reality behind the recurring dream. It was a bit frustrating to say the least.

As she grabbed her purse and headed to the nearby coffee shop on the way to work, she took note of the beautiful spring day. It was already fairly warm, and the sun was steadily climbing in the sky. The azaleas, dogwoods, and camellias were in full bloom, painting a lovely picture while she walked the narrow sidewalks. As she neared the coffee shop and entered, she abruptly bumped into someone who was leaving the shop and excused herself.

“No worries,” the young man said, despite the fact she had jostled him so hard that his coffee spilled onto the sidewalk.

“Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry!” she said apologetically, very thankful that the coffee spill had not been worse.

The man smiled and assured her that no harm was done before he quickly took off down the street.

As Zoe waited for her usual cup of coffee, her mind drifted. Was that a missed opportunity? The stranger had been quite attractive and seemingly pleasant natured. Was she destined to meet him amidst the sun’s shining rays and the blooming flowers this morning? Should she have made more of an attempt to strike up a conversation? Had she missed a rare opportunity at love? Oh well, c’est la vie, she thought to herself.

Much later that day, Zoe’s boss called her in for a meeting. It appeared he had a new graphics project, and he wanted Zoe to head up the team that would work on it. If she handled the account as well as he expected, it could possibly ensure her with a promotion. Was this the opportunity she saw on the crest of the horizon with the green light looming in sight? It was a wonderful opportunity for professional advancement and might propel her more specifically toward her field of study, but she simply did not know if this was what the dream was referencing in its symbolism each time she dreamt it.

Her date later that evening with a neighbor named Joshua turned out to be a boring and uneventful time at a local Italian restaurant. While the food was excellent, the date itself was nothing special. Was she missing something? Was there supposed to be more? Was she not opening up herself to the potential and all the possibilities in the realm of life and love? Was she supposed to see in Joshua what the light represented in her dream? Was he the one? It did not feel as if this were true, so, following her instincts instead, she abruptly ended the evening after dinner, claiming she had an early morning at work the next day. It wasn’t really a fib since she was actually working on the new graphics project.

As Zoe relaxed in a steaming bath full of aromatic lavender and chamomile following her date, she again wondered about the meaning behind her dream and the green light that was ever present in it. She found that she was questioning everything and everyone she encountered in an attempt to make sense of it. She sighed. It was more than frustrating. What was she supposed to know? What hidden person, place, or action was the dream trying to relay to her? And would the dream ever present its’ truth so she would know the hidden meaning of it all?

*********

Two weeks quickly passed and nothing changed in the scheme of things for Zoe in love or life. The dream was ever present on at least a weekly basis as she slept, but she had no further clues as to what it or the green light meant. She did not run into the attractive man again at the coffee shop nor did she accidentally bump into or meet anyone else that might be her true love or the ultimate destination represented in the dream. She led the team to complete the graphics project that was assigned to her, receiving a commendation and recommendation for higher pay and position with more challenging responsibilities in the future. Still, each day she wondered about the truth behind the strange, repeated dream.

This evening, however, something seemed different, Zoe thought, peering upward at the beautiful sky. She was sitting on the rooftop of her apartment building, and it was nearly eleven o’clock. The stars twinkled in the sky and the moon was exceedingly bright. The chirping of crickets disrupted the silence along with the hum of an occasional auto as it meandered down the quiet street. The stillness of the night was beautiful, and the glass of wine she was sipping helped to relax her immensely. The last two weeks had been hectic, propelling her toward the completion of the newly assigned project at work, but its’ accomplishment had not yielded as much satisfaction as she had anticipated.

Zoe leaned back and relaxed in her seat, pondering the possibilities of meaning in the dream yet again. Looking at the sky, she mentally compared the stars to the seas and the moon to the green light on the horizon. She knew that her life, like the sky, was endless in regard to possibilities. It was an interesting comparison to her dream and certainly food for thought.

Finishing the glass of wine, Zoe went back to the apartment and prepared for bed. Would she dream the dream tonight? With that in mind, she drifted off to sleep shortly thereafter, thoughts of smooth seas, twinkling stars, and blinking green lights on far horizons.

Well into the night’s slumber, Zoe suddenly awoke, fully alert. Indeed, she’d had the dream again, but this time, as she’d struggled to move the little row boat toward the green light in the midst of a blinding sun, the sky had miraculously cleared. And as it had done so, she’d found herself looking full force into the glaring green light. Surprisingly, it reflected a mirrored image of herself as she fiercely and steadfastly rowed the little boat forward.

Zoe turned on the bedside lamp and sat up in bed, a dawning new awareness filling her. She was amazed at the new images in the recurring dream. Perhaps the green light was symbolic of her own innate confidence and ability to achieve things beyond the imaginable – or as the dream represented it, beyond the far horizon. Maybe she had been the blinking green light this entire time: strong, enduring, and full of endless possibilities. All this while, she had been looking for someone or something to manifest itself when it all actually resided within her; she just needed to look deeper within to accomplish her dreams and so much more. She realized she'd placed far too many limitations upon herself. She was young, vibrant, and full of life. She should seize the horizon and pursue life to its fullest capacity. Perhaps she should resign her job and make that move to Italy to pursue her ultimate dream. The time and opportunity was ripe, and if she did not do so, she knew she would always regret it.

Zoe got out of bed and went to the kitchen where she poured herself a glass of water before she returned to the bedroom. As she sat the glass on the bedside table, she caught her reflection in the long mirror. She paused. Yes, she was sure of it. She was the blinking green light, the sun on the horizon was symbolic of endless possibilities that loomed ahead for her, and the missing oar which suddenly appeared was representative of the many ways in which she had underestimated her abilities; they were hidden within but would surface whenever she needed them most.

As Zoe slipped back into the comfort of bed, she realized she didn’t need any one person or any particular event to ensure she lived life to its fullest capacity. She, and she alone, was responsible for making her own dreams into a reality. She must rely upon herself and stop underestimating the potential she held. And in the meantime, if someone happened to come along that could possibly enhance those dreams, all the better, but for now, it was not necessary. Zoe smiled as she realized that the true definition of happiness and success lay within her own hands, like a piece of modeling clay waiting to be sculpted – or like two oars waiting to be used. And she knew within her heart that the opportunities that loomed on the horizon were limitless. She was the creator of her destiny and tomorrow was a new day in the realm of possibilities.

Zoe turned off the light, laying her head upon the soft pillow. Tomorrow would offer a new beginning of sorts, and she could hardly wait. Today, new self-awareness and confidence, and tomorrow, well, who knew? Perhaps Italy loomed ahead. All she knew was that life had never had more meaning, potential, and excitement, and she could hardly wait for the dawn.