Either the comedian Ray Romano is stealing my original material or we must think along the same crooked lines. Mr. Romano has used some of my exact thoughts on ‘dreams and what they mean’ in his hilarious, self-deprecating comedy routines. My laughs are easily drawn to the surface and I can relate to what he is saying, but is this something I should be laughing about or a serious, symptomatic problem I must deal with seriously?
My experience with dreams, and Ray’s comedic revelations, involved some pretty disturbing dreams, but herein rests the irony. We weren’t the original owners of the dream. This is where I must say goodbye to the rich comedian and go it alone. My wife is the owner of the damaging dreams, and in them I, her loving, innocent husband, quickly turn them into her nauseating nightmares.
I have had to deal with this with my wife on several occasions. She violently shakes me awake early in the morning as if the house were on fire only to reveal to me that I have committed egregious, unforgivable acts in her dreams. In almost every scenario, she informs me that we are at a large party or some public event having a magnificent time until I mess it all up. Is there a dream defense attorney in the house?
My wife, by the way, does not find any of this the least bit humorous. She is clearly disturbed with me in her dreams. “You can’t be serious?” I sleepily attempt to preserve my fine marital standings. “I was here sleeping right beside you. I never illegally entered your dream.” My mistakes always involve my taking liberties with a gorgeous hostess or a voluptuous guest that I don’t know or have never seen. How was I to know I was in her dream doing these horrible things?
There is a devious side of me that actually roots for the villainous fellow she detests, but I am beginning to understand my wife and her delusional dreams. There was a time in my life when I was not a responsible adult male. I was young, foolish, and I cared very little about the repercussions of any of my actions. That was then, this is now. I’m afraid my wife’s good memory bank is still receiving some of my bad checks. Does she have a real fear of me revisiting my past?
Dreams can often reveal hidden insecurities one might not openly exhibit while awake. Even though I certainly grew up and left all of my past mistakes behind me, it may be difficult for others like my wife to forgive and forget. I’m no dream expert, but I believe my wife is still coming to grips with the miracle that I actually turned out to be a decent, loving husband who worships her and her alone. Could it be that simple?
I always try to see the amusing side of any problem no matter how serious it is, but if the problem persists, I quash my juvenile urges and attempt to deal with it like an adult. Dreams can feel all too real to the dreamer and sometimes their hidden meanings can signal us to take action and reinforce an area we find unstable.
I believe most of our dreams are simply our lives being recycled in our minds in a state of rest. I wonder what prices aluminum cans are fetching per pound these days?
