Bird in the Hand

The Dream: I'm near a train station in the suburbs when I see something under a chair: it looks like a bird entangled in one of the chair legs. I can't tell if its a real bird or a stuffed toy. In some way the thing is off-putting and part of me wants to leave it where it is—but another part is intrigued.

I touch its soft fluffy feathers and realize it's a small purse in the shape of a bird atop a round bag. I am not sure what to do with this—whether to keep it or try to return it. I look inside and see a collection of children's silverware, little forks and spoons in a pattern very similar to my mother's silver. Suddenly I feel a desire, so strong it's physical, to keep this bag and its contents.

I go through the bag, struggling with myself. As I look at the things inside I realize it's a gift for a new mother. Besides the children's silverware, there's a CD that teaches relaxation techniques. I find a turquoise blue card with a name and address. Now that I have the name of the rightful owner I have a new quandary: clearly I should return these things, but is this the name of the sender or the recipient? If it's the recipient and I call, I will ruin the surprise. Once I decide the name and address most likely belong to the gift giver I attempt to make the call, but then I'm not sure I can make out the phone number.

Interpretation: I'm repulsed and attracted by something that I don't want to look at—but once I do I don't want to let it go. The dream is full of conflict. The object is a bird, an ancient symbol of spirit, yet it is also a purse, something that stores earthly treasure. The treasure it contains is associated with both the mother—it's her silver pattern—and the child (the child-sized utensils). Even the turquoise (blue-green) card points in two ways: blue for sadness, green for new growth. The dream is telling me that I'll achieve some new growth once I face my sadness. The mother / child symbols point to this sadness being connected to my inner child trying to come to terms with the loss of her mother. Having seen inside the bag (gained some knowledge of my inner workings through carefully observing my dreams) I very much want to hold on to what I've learned, and yet I feel anxious about my ability to do so (I can't make the call).

No Longer a Child

When you look at your dreams, be aware of the setting. In this dream the action takes place in the dining room,  where we usually relate to others. It's a family area and a place where we receive the most basic necessity of life: food.

The Dream: I am sitting at the dining room table. My younger daughter is studying, working very hard. I sit across from her and look at her. I say I'll be quiet. I feel as if I haven't seen much of her lately. At the same time I sense that my interest is annoying to her.

Interpretation: Parents and children connect and disconnect and reconnect, partners in an elaborate dance performed across time. At times the child needs the mother; at other times the mother needs the child. Sometimes these needs are in synch; more often they are not. The dream expresses the mother's sense of loss as she sees her child becoming independent. The wise part of the mother knows that she must "be quiet" and allow her daughter to develop in her own way, as she
"studies" life from her own perspective.