Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Timeless trappings and life after death

Our Dreamer Writes:

Dear SMYD,

My wife and I have always said we can talk about anything, but we were challenged recently when we visited a financial planner for the first time.  Right out of the gate he said we needed to prepare a last will and testament!  We felt pretty uncomfortable, but we started working on it.  Naturally, that chore quickly triggered a discussion about who would die first!  Yet another difficult conversation for us!  It was also hard to start talking about who would get what among our kids.

In the middle of all this I dreamed that I was dressed in preppy clothes and driving my favorite old car, a classic Cadillac.  A car like that never goes out of style!  My wife was with me and she was wearing what she calls her classic outfit, a little black dress. 
Suddenly the car just quit running.  I tried to start it while it was still in ‘drive’ and for some reason it worked.  We drove across a large green lawn toward a street on the other side.  Suddenly, the car stopped again.  Then, just as suddenly, we were out of the car and in front of it.  We had just kept going, just traveled along, even though the car had stopped.  We stood there feeling a little confused for a moment.  We looked at the car and our surroundings.  Then we turned toward the street ahead and started going in that direction.

I woke up feeling relieved somehow.  I just can’t figure out why I was relieved!

Signed,

Driving My Classic Car

 

Dear Classic,

It’s only natural for us to begin to feel anxious when we’re assigned the task of planning for a world we’ll be leaving behind.  Your dream seems to offer some insights into the thoughts and discussions you’re having with your wife and family, and your worries about the unknown.

First consider the Cadillac; a car you say will never go out of style.  Couple it with your preppy clothes and your wife’s little black dress.  All these images serve as metaphors in your dream, casting you and your wife as “classics,” never to fade into disuse or antiquity.  You both are timeless, just like your Caddy, your traditional prep-school clothes and her favorite frock. 

Next, when the car quits running, you and she go on.  What a lovely metaphor this is for life after the will kicks in!  Your ‘vehicle’ quits, but you keep going.  The two of you experience a momentary pause in front of the car.  You assess your new circumstances, then turn and move onto the next avenue, the street ahead. 

Now I’m not sure what your beliefs are, but if the discussion of your last will and testament made you uncomfortable, your dream arrives with reassurance that any transition in your future will be almost seamless.  Not to worry Dear Dreamer!  Like all lasting things in life, you and your wife will never go out of style!

Sweet Dreams to You!

SMYD

sendmeyourdreams@mail.com          

 

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