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Amongst other things, this is a love story.... the theme changes occasionally... this year it is fitness and learning to love yourself.

4 April 2013

D is for Dreams. A-Z challenge. Words of Change Day 4

Dream |drēm|
verb
indulge in daydreams or fantasies, typically about something greatly desired.

My childhood summers were spent at Elwood Beach, on Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay. Every morning we arrived before the Life Saving club opened and only left when the night air made us shiver, a storm threatened to batter us, or we ran out of food. The ocean and sand provided relief from each other. Mum (with flawless skin) always sat in the shade of the beach umbrella making sure we behaved. It was our summer house, without walls. If the car broke down we took the bus, it was the best Papa could do.

I spent countless hours on the shore burying my feet in the sand, staring at the horizon, dreaming about what was happening on the ships I saw in the distance. Where did the sea end? Was it a giant waterfall, the end of the world, or just a place where ocean met the sky?  What sort of people lived and worked on those ships?  I wondered where they came from and imagined where they were going.

Once, feeling adventurous, I borrowed a rubber tube and floated on currents, south towards Tasmania, Australia's island state. I had a nap, and when I woke up the shore was on the horizon. I was still in the bay but a long way from home. I had no idea which way to go.  I asked a boat load of partying strangers to point me in the right direction. I paddled back fast, anticipating a search party, I got quite a surprise. My family was unaware, napping or just opening their eyes.  I kept my adventure a secret and continued to fantasise.

Many summers later I eventually made my way to Tasmania, where Crown Princess Mary of Denmark was born and where I met my Danish Captain. I sailed there hundreds of times, on a big ship, my first job at sea. Beyond the horizon lay untamed, frozen Antarctica. I met scientists that travelled there, and sailors who described their heroic adventures, sometimes over a drink, sometimes over more.

A few more summers passed, and I was about to sail through The Suez Canal - west bound on the first leg of a record breaking voyage, that took me around the world.  Gazing at the desert that connected two seas, I remembered my childhood dreams. Unfinished dreams, created out of boredom and curiosity. My dear parents had sailed these same waters, east towards the rising sun, to the lucky country, almost 40 years before me. My father dreamed a family that spent summers by the sea, my mother was seasick, unable to sleep. Now, here I was, re-tracing their wake, far beyond the horizons of Port Phillip Bay.

***

Mum always said "if you are bored, you are boring," so I just keep dreaming... which is not easy with playstations, wii's and bla bla bla going all the time = please, find time to let your children dream.

***

Did you know that if you look at your feet during a dream you can control your direction?

***

Indigenous dreaming: Lizard medicine.
Lizard was tired and decided to rest in the shade of snakes rock. When snake returned she said "Surely you know I can eat you?" Lizard opened his eyes, "Yes indeed I do, but before I went to sleep I dreamed your belly was full."





  


38 comments :

  1. I dream extensively.... but rarely remember any of it.

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    1. Same, though I did have a funny one about Pink the other night - It's the waking dreams that can take me places too.

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  2. I amaze my daughter when I describe how I can control my dreams in my sleep. She was having nightmares. I tried to explain my technique. Well we are still working on it.
    http://mary-anderingcreatively.blogspot.com/

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    1. I wish you would explain your technique to us. I love the looking at the feet, or hands, it is good place to start, it takes a bit training to control a dream - even just being aware that you are trying helps. I'm still not quite sure how to deal with one of my bonus child's nightmare

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  3. Thank you for the kind words on my C is for Countdown post, Ida. You have a beautiful story-telling voice so I do hope that you manage to get a novel out of this challenge like you are hoping. I've worked really hard to make my wildest dreams come true and don't intend on stopping any time soon.
    Cheers from Brandy at brandysbustlings.blogspot.ca

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    1. Yes when I saw your countdown post, I remembered the punch drunk sailor (mentioned in my Abundance post) always used to say - "don't wish your life away" whenever I told him I couldn't wait for something...

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  4. I have a recurring dream that I have been working on for a few years. I like my waking ones better. They take work as well but seem more worthwhile of my time.

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    1. The night time dreams will always have me guessing, but I'm not afraid of them anymore :)

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  5. Dreams are the best! Both waking and sleeping ones. I agree, they are so important and kids need to dream more and spend less time hooked up to technology. Great post!

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    1. Thanks Heidi, the kids line came to me just before I pressed publish and fell asleep and I woke up this morning and thought it might need tweaking, but I'll leave just the way it is now

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  6. I love your blog posts, we have some things in common we should chat later. My dreams are frequently snipits of things to come.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier!

    A MOM'S POINT OF VIEW

    http://www.amomspointofview.com

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    1. Thanks Kimmy K - anytime, I'm always up for a chat. :)

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  7. I'm your newest follower. Enjoyed your story and your dreaming. Love your Mom's saying about being bored! It's sooooo true, what a wise woman she is. A-Z

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    1. Funny I was just thinking the same thing :) - She is certainly a lot wiser then some of the people you pointed out in your post today. Thanks for following - i hope enjoy

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  8. Dreams are a funny thing.
    Sometimes my Dreams point me in the Direction I need to go, sometimes its just what I Dreaded to Deal with. (See I'm highlighting D words as I go)
    But most of the time, it's a gray glow around my dreams that tell me that some of this will happen soon.
    Maybe tomorrow, maybe next month, perhaps even in a few years to come.
    My DayDreams are the best.
    "If you are bored you are boring" - very true, perhaps kids today Don't understand the lesson behind those words. Or maybe we are just getting old and Don't understand how they Deal with things now.
    But most importantly, (stop rambling Katrin...) GREAT POST,
    I made mine, D is for Delay.
    Because I postponed publishing it until just now, (I was unsatisfied with the turnout.)
    Looking forward to tomorrow!!! :D
    E is for......*Drum roll*

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    1. I hope you never stop rambling - You definitely need to come visit tomorrow I have a surprise for you :)

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    2. Wonderful.
      All i can think of for e is = embower.
      Rambling can be like a dance of genius!
      I'll be back :-D

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    3. had to look it up - :) great word - but makes me think of embowel... I didn't get this notification in my emails - why can't blogger be more like facebook -

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  9. I like that- "If you are bored, you are boring." Nice memories!

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    1. I enjoyed reading your childhood memories today too.

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  10. Great post about dreams. It sounds like you've achieved some great ones. Power to you for doing the A to Z challenge:)

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    1. Thanks Mark - It's a great introduction to the blogging world - and a fantastic exercise to learn some writing skills

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  11. Daydreamers are writers... the two go hand-in-hand.
    Interesting post!

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    1. Ha - I never really thought of it that way - yay you called me a writer , that feels good :)

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  12. Wow, you've had such an interesting life. I'm coming back to read more of your posts later in the challenge- I just want to read more about your experience. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Glad you popped in and you are welcome anytime, I must admit that was a pretty exiting year, hopefully you find the next story interesting too. *puts pressure on self* :)

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  13. Ida, thanks for the visit. When you say you don't understand...do you mean you don't under the post, or you don't understand people like him?

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    1. Sorry for not being clear I mean him - and all the people that voted for him

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  14. Thank you.....was 99.9% sure, but didn't want anyone reading to question. I understand the "huff" sentiment. I was typing like a mad woman.

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  15. Beautiful story of real life adventures. Love your blog! Nice to meet you through A to Z!

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    1. Thank you Tyrean, I couldn't find your blog through the link on under your name - just your google page, and there I couldnt see a link there either.

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  16. Wow. Wish I was going there too!

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  17. There's definitely a dreamy quality to your story. I got caught up in the adventure of it all.

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    1. Thanks for commenting Nick, - I have a tendency to ramble, so I'm working really hard to edit it down to the bare bones... a dreamy quality wasn't my goal, but II'm glad you think so... :)

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  18. So enjoyed this thank you. The lizard medicine was lovely. Keep on dreaming, reading fairytales and fantasy -

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    1. I love Lizard medicine too, it's one of my favourite lessons. Thanks for commenting I am thrilled you enjoyed it.

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Enjoy