Thursday 18 October 2007

It's a Beautiful Morning

This morning I opened the curtains, looked out my bathroom window, and saw a sky full of pink streaks punctuated by low grey clouds. It was so beautiful I stood for a few minutes just taking it all in. The pink streaks, of course, were the sun reflecting on the many contrails in the sky. Who says global warming can't be beautiful? Much lovelier to look at than Al Gore's ever-expanding face.

That got me in a good mood. Then I started to think about my dreams, or a dream, to be specific. Some people have recurrent dreams. I have one too. I've had it five or six times since I was in my 20s. What it involves is a house I live in that has rooms I never knew existed till I open a door that leads to what must be an annex. In these dreams the house changes, the rooms change, but the wonder of discovery never does. I have discovered rooms decorated in retro-1950s style, in modernist style, bedrooms, ballrooms, attics, swimming pools, roof terraces with skylights and terra cotta pots everywhere. I don't know what the dream means -- self discovery maybe? I haven't had it in a few months or maybe even a year. It doesn't come that often, but when it does I welcome it. It is comforting in the way that your favourite blanket was when you were growing up. Do any of you have recurrent dreams like that?

My lovely day has continued. The weather helps. It is one of those crisp, sunny autumn days that we don't get that often here. When I lived in suburban New York, I remember all of October and November being like this. I would pass a maple tree on my way to work that glistened in the late afternoon sunlight (I worked nights at that time). It would cheer me, at least temporarily, before I went in to the drudgery of nights on the sports copy desk working with guys I did't like and who didn't like me.

Jake is enjoying the weather too. He's charging around like a mad thing, digging up ancient balls that must have belonged to some dog that lived here in the past. I went to the gym and worked out at least as hard as some of the women half my age (though my poor bladder didn't hold up too well; ah well, wait till they've had a couple of kids and an early menopause).

I'm not often this at peace with myself and my surroundings. And anything could happen in the next 10 minutes to change it. But for now I feel serene, a word that doesn't pop out of my vocabulary very often.

10 comments:

Kelly Innes said...

I have a recurrent dream that is also to do with rooms...we are on a wierd treasure hunt in a building that is an amalgam of all he schools I have ever been to...you have to go into the rooms in the right order and when they are red (they change colour!)The winning team get spirited away in a helicopter. The odd thing is that the first time I had this dream I was really panicked in it. Now when I dream it, I know what I am doing and consequently don't feel as stressed. And usually get the helicopter ride!

Kim said...

You sound calm and happy. How wonderful that dream is! Here's wishing you more days like this.

laurie said...

serenity is elusive. but what a pleasure to achieve it, if only for a few hours or a day.


i don't have recurrent dreams, but i had recurrent nightmares when i was a small child. i remember them vividly still.

wakeupandsmellthecoffee said...

Kelly: Wow, sounds like the Crystal Maze or some sort of game show. Can I be in your dream?

Kaycie: Ah, but now I'm trying to plan the Halloween party so there went the calm. Look at the Ramones video. I'm sure you're in it.

laurie: what were the nightmares about?

the rotten correspondent said...

That's a fascinating dream. I wonder what dream analysis would say about it. I'll bet you're on the right track with the self-discovery angle.

Serenity is fleeting and must be grabbed when it appears. Enjoy it.

wakeupandsmellthecoffee said...

Thanks, RC, I did.

Flowerpot said...

I have a recurrent worry dream too - perhaps we all do. And like you, serene is not a word much in my vocabulary! Hang ont to that feeling!

laurie said...

essentially, the nightmares were about being separated from my family. but they were very scary. they'd be boring to explain here, but believe me, if you dreamed 'em, you'd be terrified.

Fire Byrd said...

I hope your serenity has lasted into the weekend.
I always feel that contentment is the place I most like being.
Not so transient as being happy and definately more comfortable.
pxx

wakeupandsmellthecoffee said...

flowerpot: I also have dreams where I have to take a test and show up and realise I haven't studied for it at all. That's a stress dream.

laurie: separation dreams can be scary. I've had one or two of those.

Pixie: The feeling of serenity is hanging in there despite my best efforts to get rid of it.