“Courage is knowing what not to fear.” Plato. Wow. I never expected to be quoting Plato in this blog. Yet here I am, quoting Plato. There is a reason for that particular quote. It is late Sunday night, past my usual bedtime. I am writing this post as a stalling tactic. I am dreading, and being a little fearful, about going to sleep tonight. For the last four consecutive nights I have been awakened by violent nightmares. In one, my three year old daughter throws my newborn hard against a wall. The newborn falls behind a bookcase. As I pull her out her eyes have a demonic stare. Yes, this woke me up! In another, some sort of swamp creature comes out of a Lake Nockamixon cove and takes two deer, and the woman I was walking with, into the water and they never surface. Yikes! I can’t remember the others. Probably a good thing.
Of course I googled nightmares and their causes. Not much help there. Anxiety? No more than the usual. Depression? Nope. Strange foods at strange times? No and no. Change in medications? No again. I am not a huge believer in dream interpretation, unless, of course, it is obvious. But if any of my readers would like to give it a try, I am willing to listen.
Here are some of my real life fears. I am afraid of bats and being mauled by a bear. I fear cancer. Who doesn’t? I am afraid of Alzheimer’s. I fear big dogs not on a leash. I fear dying alone. That is not a very big list. I may be missing something. But right now I have to add the fear of being awakened by a violent nightmare.
What are your fears? What are the things you think about when you are alone with your thoughts? Maybe your fear is being alone with your thoughts.
Well, I have stalled long enough. It’s time for bed. Wish me luck and a calm night’s sleep and no Edgar Allen Poe dreams for me. And again, any attempts at dream interpretation are most welcome. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz………
A Semi-retired Kind of Life 