Dreams

There have been times that my dreams were great places to work out a problem.  Many times I have awakened with what is a logical answer to a question I had when I went to sleep.  I know that many times before I travel I won't sleep worrying about the events that could transpire when we are traveling.  On the other hand, many days I wake up wondering what the hell that was all about.  You know, those crazy dreams that are so separated from reality that no practical lesson could possible evolve from something that crazy.  I am not sure that people who don't remember their dreams aren't blessed versus those of us that have vivid memories f the crazy times.

There are times that I know that I am dreaming and do my best to let it become a free for all.  The main marker is when I light up my pipe.  I am not sure when I quit smoking my pipe but it was years ago.  This dream almost always occurs when I have dreamed that I just ate a great meal.  For some reason, I just don't have those thoughts about drinking.  Perhaps drinking is just so natural that I don't even think about it.  I know I stopped drinking in the early 90's so it has been at least 20 years since I have had the need to take a drink.  I bought a box of wine to take to Carrie's house for Thanksgiving and did take a small sip to taste it.  I just didn't feel compelled to drink a glass of it.

I think that was when I really started to think about drinking.  It was way and well on its way to the "go to" solution to my problems.  I think the term Mom used was "Self Medicated."  The more I drank, the more I wanted to use it as the solution to my problems.  It became the avoidance medicine in my life and just had to stop.  Today I don't try to stop others from drinking, I do point out that when you really need a drink, is the time you should stop and think about taking that drink.  If you can take it or leave it, then feel free to have a drink. 

Back to dreams,  One good thing for me is that my dreams of Combat don't happen when I am asleep.  There was one time I had just come home from surgery and I was watching "Platoon" I had a flash back when they went into a village.  I swear I could smell, taste and feel the fear from my time in Vietnam.  We had one trip into a village that felt like that scene from the movie. 

We didn't have the firefight or the violence the movie had but we did have a pretty significant event that day.  One of the children in the village was very sick and the women had began to wail that he was going to die.  The mood that day was tense and all the crazy noises from the women made it really chilling. Our Medic tried to help but he said that unless we could get the child to a Hospital there was little hope.  We set up a perimeter and call a Med Evac chopper from Pleiku. I have no idea where they took that child or the outcome but it was a fairly significant event and I'm sure the basis of that flash back.

One thing I am blessed with is fact that I seem to forget the really sad or hurtful things that happen.  They are soon buried in the great events that happen to me and people I know.  I am sad to see someone lose something significant to them but I am always more glad (Gladder) to see someone win or get an award. 

Oh well, better get cranking.

MUD