Chasing youth

The things we seek in our dreams may reflect the things we yearn for in our waking lives.  Today’s dreamer offers a perfect example.

Dear SMYD,

In a dream I had a few days ago I was looking down at my own scalp from outside of my body as if I was examining the scalp of someone else.  My scalp had an enormous amount of light brown aging spots.  I was very uncomfortable with that.  (I currently have a few spots popping up as is to be expected as we get older.)

Then in my dream last night, I come across a baby deer and it is sitting still.  I reach for it and it doesn't feel threatened, as if it doesn't know that it should be afraid of me.  The fawn has now stood on all fours.  It is still unaware of my presence.  As I reach for it to pick it up I get a little nervous that I may startle it and it will run away and I won't be able to catch it.  My goal is to catch it and hold it close to me.  As I am looking at it, I can see light brown spots on it.  It seems to be a bit bloated and not as thin as regular baby deer.

I can see the outline and shape of its young body.  Its torso seems to be out of proportion to the head and legs.  The torso is large, almost swollen or bloated.  It seems odd to me and makes it a bit awkward as I pick it up.  Its extra weight seems to throw it off its center of gravity and as I lift it I have to adjust my own center of gravity so I don't lose my balance.  As I hold it close to me it feels awkward.  The experience of holding it is not like how I imagined it would be.  There is incongruence with what my mind perceived the experience would be like and what my body is actually experiencing.

Signed,

Trying to Catch a Fawn

 

Dear Fawn,

Both your dreams acknowledge your surprise along with some anxiety and discomfort as you recognize signs of aging in yourself.  When you have some perspective in the first dream, you must acknowledge the “age spots,” but they make you uncomfortable. 

In the second dream, the fawn, a symbol of your youth and innocence, is unaware of the older you.  You want to capture it and hold it close to you, but when you do catch it, you have that incongruent feeling: things aren't what you expected them to be.  You have to make adjustments to balance out the physical changes you encounter as you’re aging.  Your actual experiences are not what you expected and it throws you off. 

But not to worry, Dear Dreamer, it’s only the fawn’s body that’s out of proportion to its head.  Just like you, it thinks and feels young, but must adjust to the changes in its body!

Sweet Dreams to You!

SMYD