Interpreting Last Night's Dream

All the web searches for the things that happen in my dreams give too many possibilities, often conflicting! And while I believe there are some archetypal symbols, I think all dreams are personal and reflect the dreamer's world.

Last night - actually, early this morning, sometime after 4 a.m. - I had a complex and interesting dream. One that caused some anxiety, but not any deep fear or misery.

It started as I was driving somewhere - I think to meet people for work or maybe not. I had to Ttake a bridge, but the bridge came off a series of highways, and in my dream mind it was the Champlain Bridge in Montreal.

I was driving along, and noticed how there was no traffic (very odd!). Then I came around a bend, and there were cars and a tractor (or truck or something) ahead, and they were facing my direction. I felt disoriented, panicked that I'd gotten on the highway going the wrong direction, but it was an elevated one-way road - no way to turn around.

And those cars ahead were stopped. And, I saw the road was closed. I drove up and pulled into a pile of dirt (which was suddenly there), and saw construction workers. I tried asking one for help to get back to the right way, but he was impatient and irritated that I was there.

I think I got a phone call, and had to go somewhere. I abandoned the car, and I have no idea how I got away from the construction zone and back to civilization, but then I was in a building, and my coworkers were coming out of a meeting - one to which I had not been invited!

Then I was in the hospital, and trying to rest and explaining to my boss how I felt stupid for not seeing the big Detour sign (which I remembered or saw later).

Then I was home, trying to think of who to call to help me go find my car and drive it back. It had to be someone who could drive, someone who would want to help me out. And I could think of nobody - for some reason, I knew i couldn't ask my colleagues. I felt very alone.

Then I thought of Deidre - an old friend from high school who I now only keep in touch with on Facebook. But in the dream, we lived closer, and it seemed a good idea. I was sure she'd help (actually, in the bright light of awakeness, I remember she doesn't drive!). But in the dream it made sense - but before I could call, my brother popped in, even though it was mid-morning and he was supposed to be at work. I asked if he could drive me to find my car, he jokingly said it would take long - all of 20 minutes, so yes. And off we went.

My interpretation:
The archetypal symbol of the road is easy - it's a journey, journey of life, my path. In life, the path I am on is really not the one I had ever planned to be on. But my paths have changed, sometimes voluntarily, sometimes at the will of the Universe, many many times.

This route in the dream, being under construction and closed, with a detour that I missed likely is just showing me that I maybe need to be prepared for a change in paths again. But maybe that my current path will re-open. Oh, right - in the dream I found maps of the construction zone to help me pinpoint where my car was. So perhaps in time I will navigate my way back to where I want to be.

No feeling like I have anyone to turn to, and being alone throughout the dream is obvious - loneliness and insecurity, and insecurity about my job, and lack of trust perhaps. Although, in reality, I love my job and have an amazing team of coworkers, who I KNOW would come to my rescue, and who have proven themselves caring and supportive.

But my brother was the one who was there in the dream. And it's true, in real life, he was and is the one I can always rely on no matter what.

So where does this leave me now? It leaves me aware that maybe I need to correct a path that I'm on; maybe take steps toward a healthier diet, and probably it's time to cultivate more and deeper friendships. I obviously miss having a community, even though I am a Solitary Creature :)