What’s in a Dream?

Experts say dreams are nothing more than a series of thoughts, images, or emotions we experience while sleeping. Some are good, and you wake up ready to take the world by the reigns, some are sensual – and you wake up feeling a little disappointed or let down, while others are frightening, and jolt you into a disoriented state with heart-pounding reality.

Then there are the others. The ones that leave you wondering, “what in the hell…?” Those are the ones I’ve been having lately. At first I thought nothing of them. The vivid realistic dreams that left me tired and a little cranky in the mornings. Then, they became annoying. They weren’t necessarily “bad” dreams, but they were intense and memorable.

Three nights ago I dreamed of my cousin, Scott. I called out and ran towards him telling him I needed to ask him something.

When I reached him he said, “Is this about being in your wedding?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“I won’t do it, Cherrye, I won’t do it. It would be hypocritical. I don’t like Peppe. We have tried to be nice to him and he has a bad attitude!”

I was JOLTED awake….only to go back to sleep and dream that the Polizia accosted me at a train station…another JOLT.

The next morning, I had dark circles under my eyes, my face was puffy…I was a mess.

Two nights ago the dream got worse.

I dreamed I was incorporating an Italian tradition into my upcoming wedding. Apparently, (in my dream), Italian women bungee jump (landing in the arms of the groom, no less) immediately before they walk down the aisle. I mean, white dress, pretty hair, and all…

Well we were at the wedding of one of Peppe’s friends (who really is getting married in July). The bride, in all her bridal glory, jumps head first into the arms of her groom and all of the groomsmen…without a rope! They catch her just fine, plop her out, and down the aisle she goes.

So, several months later I am getting ready for my big jump. At the last minute I get “cold feet” and decide I don’t want to jump, because I don’t want to mess up my hair. Well, people talk me into it anyway, only for me to then decide that I don’t want to risk Peppe and the groomsmen NOT catching me. So, I will only jump if I can do it over a lake (at Walt Disney World) – so if they don’t catch me, I won’t die, I’ll just land in the water. (I have no idea how they were supposed to catch me if there was a lake there…but that’s a dream for you.) I don’t really remember the jump, but the next thing I see in my dream, is me, in my beautiful new wedding dress, dripping wet, my hair stuck to me, mascara running down my face and someone ushering me down the aisle.

Now…I know what you are thinking…she is getting married…she is afraid to take the plunge…she is getting cold feet…I don’t think any of these things are true…I don’t think.

So last night, I prayed for a restful night of sleep…but instead, dreamed that one of my teeth fell out! I was in America (without insurance) and the only place I could go to get my tooth put back in, was WAL-MART, and for only 35 bucks it was a bargain! So, I am sitting in the little dentist chair (which apparently they have in all of the Wal-Mart stores now) and a male cosmetician comes up to me and tells me I have fungus on my face (that looks like a giant zit) and starts spraying me in the face with layer after layer of anti-fungal remedy.

Another male cosmetician approaches me, tells me the first guy did it wrong, and the fungus is now moving down my face! I then learn that two people who have “fungus” can’t have children (because their kids will definitely have it and will hate you for it). So, I am told I need to ask Peppe if he has “fungus”. He does. I am sad…I wake up.

In retrospect, these dreams are pretty funny. I mean, bungee jumping brides, and Wal-Mart-working dentists, but they are also a hassle. No sleep = restless nights = moody mornings. And, it is about that time again. So, I am going to go to bed soon, hold my pillow tightly, and hope for the best. The best would be a good night’s sleep…the worse? Another good story…We shall see, my friends…we shall see.