I Had a Dream

I was diving down the interstate in my truck with my wife and kids. All of the sudden I look to the left and there is an overturned car in the median. It looks like the car has been there a while, but I can see the legs of two passengers who are still in the car. The car appears void of color, almost like it is washed out or was burned in really hot heat. It wasn’t a fire though because the people in the car are not moving; they appear to be dead.

As I looked away from the overturned car I saw that there were several tractor trailers strewn about on the median and the other side of the interstate. Apparently there had been a very bad wreck. There were no flashing lights yet so it must have just happened. As I drove slowly around the turn I started to see more and more cars and trucks that had gotten tangled up in this massive pileup. The magnitude of the destruction that had taken place was astounding.

Everything was silent.

Just as I started to feel extremely grateful, I noticed that I was coming up on cars in my lane that had gotten tangled up in this mess. I could see people slowly moving inside mangled cars. There was a car just in front of me that was facing the wrong way; I wasn’t sure if it had gotten spun around or if it had crossed the median. There was a woman inside. She was trapped in the passenger seat. Crying. Banging on the dashboard in anguish.

I started to get really scared. The pileup was closing in around me and there was no place to go. If I stopped the people coming around the turn behind me would hit me. I was worried that if I continued the pileup would envelope me. Maybe it was clear ahead, but it seemed to be getting worse. There was an exit just ahead, maybe I could make it there. I needed to get my family out of there before I called 911 or got out to help. I needed to ensure my family was safe. It was my job to steer clear of the wreckage.

Then I woke up.

It was a haunting dream. I can still see the anguish of the woman in the car.

I remember studying dream analysis for a few days in a college course once. We were taught that dreams are a way for our subconscious to bubble up concerns and deep seated emotions. The meaning of this dream seems crystal clear.

It is the economy.

It is my job to get my family though this. I do not have an employer whose job it is to make sure I get paid. That means I do not have to worry about getting laid off as so many others have. It also means the entire responsibility is on my shoulders. I see the destruction and turmoil around me and I see it closing in. I cannot see around the bend to know if it is going to get better or worse. The pain and suffering around me is real; it is closing in. There is no way out to stop or get off the highway. We have to go forward and it appears to get worse up ahead.

It was a terrifying dream. It is a very stressful reality.