Dream #4: A Very Symbolic Dream of Fighting & Reconciliation

Photo by Marisa

It’s rare that I have a dream whose meaning is so easily and obviously symbolic to what’s going on in my life in such blunt terms. This is one of the most literal dreams of that sort that I’ve had.  This dream is about problems my girlfriend (at the time) and I were having in our relationship.

Dream Journal:
6:56 am May 24, 1999

We’re outside of  a business. I’m arguing with an employee who then turns into A. I’m shouting and ranting and raving because of the bad service. Then A and I start throwing things at one another – drinks, food, even rocks and stones! We both get hurt, cutting one another with the things we’re throwing.

After running in circles and throwing shit at each other, I realize this is horrible! what are we doing?

Standing about 10 feet away, I raise my arms out. I briefly realize this may appear to be an invitation for target practice, but I was intending to motion for her to hug me.

She puts down her rock and goes to give me a hug, and then I can’t remember anything else.

This is perhaps one of the most easily symbolic dreams I’ve had and that’s why I like it. While so many dreams consist of that David Lynch-esque disconnect between what’s happening and why, this dream just smacks you in the face:

You and your girlfriend throwing rocks at each other! And then you realize wait, this is pointless, what are we doing? And then you move to embrace and comfort one another .

What’s also interesting about this dream is that she did work as a waitress and it was from a waitress character then she emerged into my girlfriend.

Also, just now something has come to me as I review this dream  11 years later.

I noted in my dream journal that the things we were throwing were leaving cuts on another. This is interesting because self mutilation and cutting was a topic between us and something of a problem for her, I’m sad to note. I never saw this additional layer of meaning in the dream. Very interesting.