I was walking through a huge sports complex with a strange man and my son.

[rbnyc]

We were walking on a track on the second level of a huge double level gym. The track was overlooking the gym below, where there was a huge mat in the center of the floor. At the far end of the track there was a deviation with no railing so one could easily fall about 15 feet down onto the hard gym floor. My son had run ahead of us and out onto that ledge. I knew if I tried to run to catch up to him, I'd never make it in time to catch him. I also instantly knew that if I dove over the railing, I could bounce off the mat and sail through the air right over to the other side of the track and be at my son's side in less than 2 seconds. This is what I did. I took my son's hand. We met up with the strange man and continued walking. The man said, "I had no idea you could do something like that." I said, "Neither did I. In fact, since I had a terrible car accident several years ago and gained weight, I was under the impression that I couldn't do anything athletic at all. But as soon as I saw my son on that ledge, I knew that I would be able to do it." He said, "That's really interesting."

Then I woke up.

So the obvious theme is that if I look at the requirements of my current situation instead of things that have hindered me in the past, my possibilities open up. Also, my son is getting older and more and more will run out ahead of me and take risks. I have to let him do this, but I have to be on top of my game so that I can appear as needed.

My question is, who was the strange man? Also, where was my husband?

Thoughts?

EDIT: typos

[kayakjohnny]

1. I can't wait to see the responses you get on this.

Very interesting dream.

It seems like good symbolism, especially the way you interpreted it.

I like the way you posted this.

It will make me think harder about all the intense dreaming I've been doing lately.

Cheers.

[rbnyc]

2. Thanks.

I love dreams. I'm actually going through a weird time right now - a strange combination of huge challenges and setbacks and big successes and recognition. I do have way too much anxiety. I do find that if I pay attention to my dreams and kind of let them work for me, that relieves my anxiety a bit. Also my husband and I agreed to start doing yoga together.

Two questions: Do you have a theory about the man. Also, what's the most recent dream you remember?

:toast:

EDIT: I have to keep correcting non-spelling typos. Sorry.

[Bunny]

3. I think the man actually is your husband.

At times he seems like a stranger to you. And he's also underestimated your abilities - you want him to wake up and take notice of them.

[rbnyc]

4. Huh.

I was just considering that he might be my husband. I was thinking maybe he was a stranger because I am not paying enough attention to him. But I like your version. ;)

[kayakjohnny]

5. The man may be someone you know, otherwise why the surprise at...

"I had no idea you could do that"? As if he knew you, but didn't know you could do that.

As for my own recent dreams... Oh my goodness, I'll need a little time to contemplate that one. They have been numerous and intense and prolific and I wouldn't know where to begin just now.

I would love to have a coherent one to post like you did though.

I've been on a real roll lately.

I'll try to get back to you when my head's a bit clearer on this.

Cheers.

[rbnyc]

6. Cool.

If you do, do me a favor and PM me the link to the post. Sometimes I check in here every day, and sometimes I am gone for a while. But I'd love to hear it.

Of course in a dream, every character is in some way an aspect of oneself. Maybe I am finally ready to surprise myself.

[kayakjohnny]

7. Ok, though it may just be a PM and not a post at all.

Not sure my crazy subconscious would make for a particularly riveting OP.

But I won't mind telling one fellow dream-seeker what's rattling around in this little noggin.

Deal? Deal!

[applegrove]

8. Yep. Sounds like it is your husband. And you must have done many things to give your child a safe

upbringging, stuff that was incredible that you couldn't even believe you could do. Raising a child is huge.

[rbnyc]

10. Indeed

Only one of my coworkers is a parent. (Her daughter is in grad school now. My son is 6.) When they go home, they're done for the day. When I go home, my real job starts.

[nolabear]

9. I'd speculate that the man is you.

Or part of you. He functions to make you say it out loud, to think about it in a reinforced way (it really made an impression; you have even reinforced it again and again by posting here). It's a really strong force in your psyche right now.

My other question is, were you really in an automobile accident, and is there a literal side to the dream as well? Anything going on with that? Your analysis sounds really good.

[rbnyc]

11. I like that. That's good. And yes.

I need a strong force in my psyche right now, so I'll take it.

Yes, I was in a terrible accident over 7 years ago. I broke my back, pelvis, ankle and ribs and lost a baby (2nd trimester.) Also it was the day before my wedding so I got married in the hospital--slight change of plans--wearing a sliced down the back nightgown and a diaper and unable to lift my head, with paper wedding bells on my IV pole.

The spinal injury was actually not terrible. I was only in a wheelchair for a little while. I conceived my son while I was still healing my pelvis and using a walker. It was all very rough on my body and I gained a huge amount of weight, which really has changed everything about my health, abilities and self image. This is my big struggle.

I'm in my 40s and have a crazy work schedule. Plus we seem to earn slightly less than our basic cost of living so we're always a little behind. I'm having a hard time figuring out how to shift things in my life to empower myself to lose the weight. It's not about food for me. It's about activity.

I have to stop getting bogged down in the stuff I can't do. If I look around, I must be able to see so many things I can do.

[alphafemale]

13. My guess as well. The masculine side of herself that has been separate for awhile. nt

[xchrom]

12. the stranger can also be an aspect of your self and not some one else. nt

[ZombieHorde]

14. Some people think all characters in your dream are different aspects of yourself.

So your son, the strange man, and the clerk would all be different aspects of yourself.

It's probably not true, but it is a fun way to interpret dreams.

[rbnyc]

15. It must be somewhat true...

...since it all takes place in your own head.

[ZombieHorde]

16. Good point. nt