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Years ago I began having a recurring dream that I was away from home but not in any danger. Usually I was alone but not always. As it began to get dark, I started to return home. Always I would eventually realize that it was impossible to get home before dark. Sometimes home was a thousand miles aways. Sometimes it was only a few blocks away, but there were insurmountable obstacles between me and home. Unsettling as this was, I began to be philosophical and accept the truth.
A few nights ago that dream came to me again:
This time I was not all that far from home, just a few miles east of my home at the west end of Lake Whatcom, the 14-mile-long lake that is just a few minutes walk away.
(A few afternoons ago, looking east from my porch towards Lake Whatcom and the mountains beyond)
I was walking west in a counter-clockwise direction toward home. After some time passed, I was surprised to see that the landscape no longer looked familiar. It appeared that I was in Eastern Washington rather than Western Washington. I love the landscape in Eastern Washington and although I was surprised, I wasn't disturbed. Still, it was getting late in the day and I realized how far from home I was.
Unlike what I had been seeing in Western Washington, I saw no trees anywhere. I saw beautiful bare hills and blue sky. Looking out on what I still considered to be Lake Whatcom, I wondered if there were a bridge ahead where I could cross and get back to Western Washington, which now was east of where I had walked.
Ahead of me, a small resort appeared in the distance, set on a hillside. There weren't many people there, but I felt sure that someone would be able to help me find my way home again. Each person I spoke with was kind but unable to guide me back to Western Washington before dark.
Once again I felt philosophical, accepting that I would not able to get home before night. I seemed to be in a safe place with safe people. As I walked down the hillside toward the lake, I saw a woman I didn't know who was walking up the hill. As she approached, she smiled and said, "Hi Amanda."
I was startled because I couldn't imagine how she could know my name and then I realized I was dreaming.
I knew I would wake up and be home.
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Last night before I went to bed I found the video of the two people dancing. It brought me joy. My night was filled with dreams. I slept much longer than usual. The only dream I remember is the last one. In that dream, it was night and I was in safe place with safe people when I was told that someone had come in the night looking for me and that she was out on the porch waiting to talk with me. This is a person who shouldn't be driving at all, much less driving at night. This is a person with compromised judgment due to early dementia. This is a person I care about and feel concerned for but feel sadly inadequate in terms of being able to help her. I knew I would have to gently and respectfully confront her about her driving and let her know once again that my ability to help her is limited.
Coincidentally, she was once a dancer. This is my vision for her:
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