I Know What It's like to Be Dead, at Least in My Dreams

If you dream you die, you really do. I know it's true because I read it in Connie's mother's magazine.

Every family has little stories like this that take on a life of their own. My sister Christine told us this one at the dinner table one night. Our family, being the close-knit, loving unit that we are, immediately mocked her with all our might and held nothing back. For weeks, it was a guaranteed laugh by including the last part of her statement on any outrageous claim.

Martians are invading our country! I know it's true because I read it in Connie's mother's magazine.

As the youngest one in the family, I especially enjoyed this running joke because it was one in which I could participate. It's disheartening having your older relatives all laughing at a joke that you don't quite get.

Recently, I was reminded of Connie, her mother and her choice in magazines after I had a dream where I died.

For the most part, I don't remember my dreams. Generally, I think that's a good thing. I don't know what the ratio of good dreams to bad dreams is, but it seems like most people have more bad ones. For every dream about flying there's got to be three or four about disasters.

And I have enough hardship and disappointment in my life when awake; I really don't need my subconscious adding to my misery.

Yet, dreams fascinate me. Perhaps it's because I don't remember very many. When I do recall one, I immediately get my "The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Dream Symbols" down from the shelf. This is a reference book which gives interpretations to different events and symbols that are present in your dream.

This book will give its takes on various themes, often times crediting the meanings to well-known analysts like Freud or Jung. My favorite is the entry on trains, which according to Freud was a symbol of death. The book adds, "However, Freud suffered from a phobia about trains."

The entry on death is quick and to the point.

"If it is the dreamer dying, it never has any connection to a real impending physical death. Rather it is a reference to the need to change one's passage in life and allow old attitudes to die. Death usually means that radical change is necessary."