The Power of Dreams

So I'm not exactly sure of the theme of this blog as of now, but I figured I better start writing anyway. Writing, no matter the form, is important to keep in practice to maintain the skill, just as athletes practice regularly to be able to play in their games.  And here I am, writing because it is what I enjoy, it is how I express myself.


I thought I'd start by writing about dreams since they are a prevalent topic in my first novel and they have always had a big impact on my personal life.  I used to be a huge fan of horror movies, even though they kept me awake for hours afterward.  The idea of being scared was a thrill that I sought out often when I had friends staying over late so I had company just in case there was an unexpected knock at the door that might send me flying off my seat during the midst of the movie.  Now though, I cannot even entertain shows like the Walking Dead, or movies like The Woman in Black.  They leave a mark imprinted in my brain that never leaves, causing unnecessary stress and fear - and not in a thrilling way.  I'm not sure what change, possibly age, maybe becoming a mother, but I avoid most horror/thriller shows and movies.  I do admit to be a fan of Ghost Hunters - go figure.  For a reason I can't understand, I greatly enjoy watching them hunt the paranormal, and it doesn't bother me quite as much.  Who knew?



I bring this up because the other night I had a terrible dream.  Most people may laugh and I admit it does sound silly but in the midst of my dream, it felt so unbelievably real that humor was hard to come by.  I don't know where the idea came from, because as I mentioned, I don't watch these shows, but I had a vividly horrible dream about zombies.  Okay, get the laughs out now.  It felt too real.  I can still take myself back to it if I really stop and focus on it.  All the people I knew and loved and transformed into these awful creatures who only wanted to kill and eat me.  And when you have a young child, that can be a terrible image.

My point with all of this is that dreams can be very powerful, whether in a positive or negative way.  They can feel so real that you do not realize it is only a dream until you wake up in a cold sweat in your own bed, thankful that it was not real.  There are also dreams that almost predict something in your life whether it has happened yet, or not.  I recently had a dream like this about work and found that when I arrived to work that next morning, my dream had come true.  Only this time, it was a good thing.



So anyway, dreams can be amazing or terrifying, but the bottom line is - at least for some - that they can hold secrets about your inner self that you have't even considered.  But if you stop and take it all in, you can learn a lot.  That idea is where I came up with the backbone of my novel and the main character.  I found it personally therapeutic and rewarding to complete it knowing that it was my way of letting out some of my own demons.

Until next time, Alysia