When I started writing my novel, I knew I wanted to play with dreams – not the fantasy type, but the ones that roll through our nighttime movie house, if we’re that lucky. I’ve had some pretty intense ones in my day. Some have been profound; some just a lot of intense fun. I don’t remember many of them, but I can usually recount the dreams I do remember in vivid detail.
I’ve dreamt more than once, that I’m on the Millennium Falcon, off with Han and Leia on some unnamed adventure. Just a week or so ago I had a dream that I was visiting Harrison Ford and he asked me if I would cook for him for the next six weeks while his wife was away. I think it had something to do with this video clip a few people had sent to me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB0wzy-xbwM
My dreams do entertain me, but once in a while I have ones that heal. A little over two years ago; the night of May 13, 2013, to be precise; I had two dreams back-to- back that I will never forget.
Earlier that day, I had been talking to a friend about Mom. It was coming up to the one-year anniversary of her passing so of course, I had been thinking about and missing her.
That night, I dreamed that I was in my bedroom at home, going through some Christmas presents that Mom had bought before she passed away. They were gifts that she was putting together for family friends: my ‘surrogate’ aunts and uncles who have cottages next to my parents’ house.
Among the gifts was one little jewelry box that had my name on the tag and a message that read: “All of this is behind us now.”
The next thing I knew, I was in an anti-gravity chamber with Sam Roberts!
I had been playing his music – a lot – around this time. I had only been listening to him for a little while, but I had found something very uplifting in his music. His words and sound soothed me, and because of the events of the year previous (mom’s cancer etc.), I had committed to engaging with anything that was positive and that made me happy. Sam Roberts Band was on repeat on my phone at that time – truth be told, it often still is.
So, Sam Roberts and I were in an anti-gravity chamber. We had jumpsuits on, and he was teaching me how to navigate in zero gravity around a mountain of sandbags. I’ve never been in an anti-gravity chamber in waking life, but the one in my dream was tall – floor-to-ceiling glass. Sam and I were having a great time. I was telling him about parts of my master’s research as he coached me: “Do you know how many kinds of Bingo there are,” I asked him, and then, I remember specifically saying, “I’ll have to tell you about Chicken Bingo sometime.”
Our lesson ended, and all of a sudden we were out of our jumpsuits, the way things happen in dreams, and we were leaving the facility. In a lounge area, just beside our glass chamber, were two men sitting together on a couch. “Thanks, Chris. See you later,” Sam said with a wave as the two of us left together to continue talking about Bingo and who knows what else.
May 13, 2013 – the night I had these dreams – was the night that Chris Hadfield came back to earth. I had stayed up late, so I could watch his return.
The way I see it, Mom was telling me to let things go, and Sam was teaching me to be ‘weightless’ in light of everything.
Two years later, I still think about those dreams. I carry them with me, and pull them out whenever I need reminders that life is too precious and short to sweat the small stuff.
marni amirault 