Sujal in Paradise

In this dream about a young friend who died I begin to get a hint about the place where immortality might dwell.
The Dream: I'm at a conference. It might be some sort of awards conference. I see Sujal. I'm happy to see him; he is lively and healthy and exuberant, lots of smiles. I think that I will remind him that he is always welcome to Thanksgiving--that even though he and my daughter are no longer dating we can all be friends.

When I first see him I am a little surprised that he has returned from Africa, and that he is well. I have a dim realization that he had been ill, and I'm relieved that he has recovered. As time goes on I become confused, because I gradually remember that he has died.

Interpretation: This dream left me feeling sad, experiencing again the loss of of this remarkable young man. Before drifting off to sleep the night before I had asked for a dream that would put me in touch with spirituality and show me what, if any, spiritual truths I subscribe to. Is this my answer? If it is, what is it telling me?

When I told my daughter about this dream she mentioned that it occurred within two days of the anniversary of Sujal's death. Looking on the web I discovered that his amazing spirit has indeed lived on after him; he has inspired others from his medical school to create a yearly symposium named after him and dedicated to health and justice, the causes he devoted his life to. (Although I hadn't known about the symposium, the dream setting is a conference!) The dream has shown me that we live on in the hearts, minds, and actions of others. What we choose to do with our time here creates a "spirit" with a lasting impact.

A New Blend

The Dream: I am in a Goodwill thrift shop. I see one of mother's tablecloths. In waking life it's a springtime floral, but in the dream I see it as a Xmas pattern. I am excited to buy it. Clark says, “You gave it to Goodwill and now you're buying it back.” I buy the tablecloth as well as a blender with another motif that I think has a Christmas theme, although in waking life it's my nonseasonal china pattern, Castle Garden. I'm very happy about these purchases and excited for Christmas to come so I can use them, aware that I haven't felt this way for years. I'm so pleased with these things that I put them out when I get home, and someone points out that it's spring (or summer), and I have a long time to wait. Nevertheless, I think that once the drudgery of Thanksgiving is over I'll put out these Christmas items and prepare for the season. I look forward to this with happy anticipation.

Interpretation: In this dream I get close to resolving my inner ambivalence toward my mother. Christmas represents a new spiritual birth, and this particular birth blends together (the decorated blender) the things my mother gave me (the floral tablecloth) with my current life (my china pattern: something beautiful but fragile). I embrace this gift of goodwill that I had previously rejected (given away). There's still some drudgery to get through (the feelings of obligation symbolized by Thanksgiving: I must, everlastingly, thank her), but I can look forward to resolving these feelings as time goes on (with the change of the season).