Aging Significant Issue To Dreamer

Thu., Feb. 5, 1998

Nancy Huseby Bloom

Dear Nancy: My daughter-in-law has a married girlfriend who is the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen, with a personality to go with it. She and my daughter-in-law are more like sisters than friends, and she and her husband are invited to all our family functions. Once my husband saw her in a bathing suit and I know he fell in love. She’s always nuzzling up to her husband, kissing and hugging him, and he responds by telling her how wonderful she is. It all feels very sexual, and even though I’m humiliated and upset, they don’t stop.

She’s 45; my husband and I are 75, but I still look good and get a fair amount of attention. I’ve had this dream several times. - Elizabeth

My daughter-in-law’s friend is on the second floor of a building yelling down at me, “Is the egg store open?” I yell back at her,”No! The egg store is not open!” She becomes angry, and I’m paralyzed by the anger I feel around me.

Dear Elizabeth: This woman’s presence and behavior at family functions is obviously disturbing you at a deep level. Repetitive dreams signal these issues are significant to you.

The question, “Is the egg store open?” brings a firm “No!” on your part. Eggs are symbols of fertility and a woman’s ability to give birth. Are you humiliated by her youthful vitality and obvious sexuality?

While you may be beautiful, do you feel your age is a burden in her presence? This may cause you to dream about the egg store. As you are probably past menopause, your “egg store” is not open!

The anger she displays may be the frustration and anger you feel towards the aging process. It could also be anger towards yourself for repressing your own sexual nature. Certainly there is fear of the loss of your husband’s attention and loyalty.

I hope you will talk to your husband about this and receive some comfort and assurance from him. If that’s not possible, then a friend or counselor might help. Doing this might bring an end to this dream.

Reader tips: Faithfully recording your dreams in a dream journal can be the quickest and most valuable way to gain insight from your dreams. Even tiny fragments can be valuable and often more memories of the dream will pour into the conscious mind as you write them down.

When choosing a journal, select one you find attractive and large enough to sketch shapes or images from your dreams.

Date the dream and give it a title using the most powerful image or feeling from the dream. This will give you instant memory of the dream when searching through your journal for recurring symbols or emotions. This is important for ongoing dreamwork.

Adding a few remarks about any particular feelings, conversations or events that happened that day will serve to connect your dream to what is happening in your life.

Over time, you will be amazed at the richness and vitality of your dream journey and your dream journal!

This column is intended as entertainment. But psychologists who work with clients’ dreams say dreams can hold a tremendous amount of significance; a particularly disturbing or repetitive dream may indicate the need to see a therapist.

, DataTimes MEMO: Nancy Huseby Bloom has studied dreams for 18 years. Dreams may be sent to her c/o The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615; or fax (509) 459-5098. Send a short summary of the circumstances in your life; include your name, address and phone number. Nancy conducts dream groups on a regular basis. For information, call 455-3450.

Nancy Huseby Bloom has studied dreams for 18 years. Dreams may be sent to her c/o The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615; or fax (509) 459-5098. Send a short summary of the circumstances in your life; include your name, address and phone number. Nancy conducts dream groups on a regular basis. For information, call 455-3450.

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