Yesterday morning I had a long talk with someone about my past and the steps I’m considering to risk taking to make a better future. Some of the conversation focused on how past decisions didn’t always work out, and how everyone needs to take risks, but only those calculated to yield probable positive results…
A few minutes ago, around 5AM, I woke up from a vivid dream…
It started off looking out a window at a rainbow. I remarked to friends who were with me that the colors of the rainbow were more vibrant than I had ever seen before. It turned out it was not a rainbow at all but a brightly colored hot air balloon. Not far outside the window, people were filling giant balloons with hot air and launching people on rides. I went over to investigate and take pictures.
When I got there I tried to get right underneath as one was starting to rise up. I started talking to the man I perceived to be in charge about the details like how long the rides last, where they go, how much it costs… He brought me inside the almost full passenger section to get a better look, said this was the last ride of the day, it was a reduced price, do I want to go on the ride or not?
It was nothing like a real hot air balloon. Instead of an open basket dangling beneath the balloon with a heating apparatus and a handful of passengers, this was more like a completely enclosed bounce house with 40-50 people inside. And it lifted off with me inside it before I had answered anything about going!
Somehow I had vivid, colorful views of forests and other landscape features as the balloon flew, despite a complete lack of windows or other transparent materials. There was a tiny, sphincter-like opening at the bottom middle, like a bag with a drawstring would have, and it was such a small opening I almost couldn’t shove my hand through with my cell phone to try to take pictures. I held the phone so tightly on one side, to make sure I didn’t drop it, that I broke the glass on one side of the screen.
The balloon came so low down, and so close to trees – at one point we bounced off the side of the forest… at another point we floated under a canopy of branches, as if on a path lined by trees… at another point we were so low that I used my legs to push us back higher into the air (not that my legs should have been sticking out anywhere to do so…)
Afterward, I was suddenly “home” (not that it resembled the inside of any house I’m actually familiar with) and I wanted to tell my son about the strange journey I just had. I tried to explain how it started without my committing to it but that it was exciting and beautiful… A woman who seemed to belong there walked off to the left as she listened to me… And I realized I should look up the balloon company and mail them money as I hadn’t even paid for the ride…
I’m no Sigmund Freud, but for once I have not only had a very vivid dream where I remember details and colors but it seems very easy to interpret in light of the long conversation about my future goals that I had yesterday morning.
1 – I saw something like a brightly colored rainbow out the window, and it turned out to be something else that could take me on a journey. Both the rainbow and the hot air balloon remind me of the Wizard of Oz story, which is all about going on a transformational journey and finding out what you’re capable of.
2 – I saw something impressive and colorful and interesting, and a certain friend was there. In the real world, I have been discussing a career change to go into business with this friend. It would involve giving up the safe and secure but unfulfilling dead-end job I have now, and accepting the financial risk of possibly making less than enough money at first, in the hope of more money and freedom over my schedule once established.
3 – The balloon took off without me having time to make a decision, before I was ready. Life isn’t stable or waiting for me. Life goes on. I held on so tightly to something I already had (the phone/camera) that I broke it. If I were taking this dream to be a meaningful vision, then I will have to take the plunge in this new direction before I am comfortably ready.
4 – Once the balloon was moving, all the other people vanished. I was only aware of myself inside. When the balloon got dangerously low, it was up to me to boost it higher. I could easily take this to mean that only I will be responsible for my own success or failure in a new line of work. Success will depend on me.
5 – After the journey, “home” was different – and part of my real world plans involve buying a home and moving in the near future. I do have a son, but the woman in the house, if it was who I think it was, is someone I barely know in the real world. Maybe she is just symbolic of finding someone new on this journey. Maybe I should talk to her more in real life just in case…
I think I’m going to make some big changes in 2018 – hopefully I have a colorful, wonderful journey with a happy ending…
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