Monday, May 19, 2008

A beautiful thing

I laid down for a little cat nap tonight and unintentionally fell into a deep sleep where I had an incredible dream. It was late at night and a big group of my friends ringed a microphone set up in Mybloody's front lawn. We were playing a gorgeous song. Some had acoustic instruments: guitar, orchestra bells, viola, banjo, shakers, wood blocks; everyone was singing. It was a gentle, sweet song cut with a fair bit of longing and even though the words were sad, we kept looking at each other and smiling as we played on and on and on.

When I woke up to the roar of the A/C fan, I laid in bed stunned by how wonderful it all was. Then I scrabbled for a tape recorder, trying to hold on to the melody. Like many dreams though, it faded away and didn't make much sense when I tried to get it down on tape. I admit I teared up a little, both for the idea that my friends and I had made something so beautiful and out of frustration that I'd lost it.

I'm not convinced that dreams are a window into the subconscious, but this dream integrated two things I love very much, music and my friends, in a way I wouldn't have in my waking life. So friends, pick up an instrument today or just sing and try to catch a moment of joy or fear or sadness. I'll do the same.

3 comments:

  1. sigh. this made me tear up a bit. i hate when i have music dreams and i can never quite recall the song that i created in my dream. it truly is frustrating.

    -jennifer

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  2. Oh, but you express yourself very well! And you describe something I have also experienced--- the fleeting, communal song, so heavenly and meaningful and later so frustratingly hard to recall....

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