Today is Saturday, October 9, 2010

When I was a child, in my dreams I would often fly.  I did not fly like a bird or Superman, I lifted off from a standing position and would fly upright.  I would fly really high into the clouds above the houses and trees, or close to the ground.  I could fly fast or just hover.  I could fly up or down, side to side, and forward but I could not fly backward.

It was wonderful!  But there were times that no matter how hard I tried I could not fly.  It was upsetting knowing I had the ability to fly but for some reason I was grounded, unable to lift off.  These flightless dream times were frustrating and made me feel angry and sad.  I knew I could fly.  What was preventing me and why was I being denied this glorious lightness and joy?

As I got older and left childhood behind the flying dreams became fewer and fewer until one night they were no more.  There have been studies about flying in dreams.  Those who do these studies say that adults do not, or  very rarely, fly in their dreams.  It seems it is a phenomenon of childhood.

I have not done any studies or reading about this subject but, of course, I do have an opinion.  I think that as adults we get too weighed down with self.  Most adults dream about life things, the dreams are often silly or weird or frightening but they seem  based on life.  When we are awake we put so much time and effort pursuing the dreams of what we want in life that when sleeping we are bogged down with that reality.  We let our responsibilities and concerns and worries into our sleep and we are unable to dream with abandon.

I have flown in my dreams a few times in the last couple of years.  The flying does not take me as high or far as when a child.  It seems instead of just enjoying the flight I start to analyze it.  How adult of me, how unchild like.

Adults want to know everything about what is happening, the what and why and how of things, we cannot just dream.  Children know that the what and why and how of dreams are the details.  They know it is the big picture that is important, the dreaming and being in the dream, just the doing of the dream.

The fact that I have flown in my dreams occasionally as an adult is encouraging to me.  Maybe the older I get the freer I will become and I will once again fly in my dreams like a child.

I think, someday, my dreams will again be light and filled joy every night.