I was in the middle of a country home, living in the basement with a woman I used to work with, but haven't spoken to or thought about in years. We were packing up boxes together, and trying to figure out the logistics of how to get our stuff to our new place. The space itself looked a lot like my parents basement. I told her that we were only moving two floors up, and to not worry about it so much, to which she replied that two floors is still two whole busrides away. I was confused, but agreed with her on that point. Her parents showed up, and we chatted about how it felt to be getting somewhere better. During that conversation, I swatted away a swarm of gnats, and was told to ignore them, and that we'd find worse as the move continued. I then got visions of being in protective gear, scrubbing away dirt and getting the last few items from our place as it seemed to be mice infested. "We are officially starting our life together, how does it feel" she asked me as we drove away. I took a deep breath, and started saying how I felt, but stopped myself and I woke up.
This dream is rich with symbolism and can be interpreted from several angles, reflecting your emotional state, past influences, and current life transitions.
Setting: The Basement
The basement in dreams often represents the subconscious, hidden aspects of your life, or unfinished business. Living there with a former colleague suggests that there may be unresolved feelings or thoughts about your past professional experiences. The fact that it resembles your parents' basement indicates a connection to your upbringing, childhood memories, or familial influences. It can signify comfort but also confinement, suggesting you may feel hesitant to confront deeper emotions or issues stemming from your past.
Packing Boxes
Packing boxes represents a transitional phase, indicating you might be in a period of sorting through your life, emotions, and experiences. It suggests you are preparing for a change, possibly in your career, personal relationships, or self-identity. Your collaboration with the woman is intriguing; it could symbolize a desire to reconnect with certain aspects of yourself or revisit feelings and thoughts about past experiences.
Transportation Metaphor
The mention of moving "two floors up" and your colleague’s metaphor about it being "two whole bus rides away" reflects a sense of disconnection yet progress. This could indicate that while you may be making changes in your life, they might still seem distant or feel daunting. The conversation about moving to a better place emphasizes a yearning for personal growth and improvement, but also a recognition of the effort and emotional toll that transitions can entail.
Swatting Away Gnats
The gnats symbolize minor annoyances or distractions in your life. Your act of swatting them away suggests you are attempting to manage these irritations rather than letting them overwhelm you. The advice to “ignore them” infers that in the process of moving forward, you should prioritize what truly matters and not get bogged down by small issues. The statement about finding “worse” may indicate apprehensions about future challenges, suggesting a need to mentally prepare for upcoming difficulties.
Protective Gear and Cleaning Up
The vision of you in protective gear scrubbing away dirt implies a desire to cleanse yourself of past burdens. This reflects hard work and readiness to confront and eliminate unhealthy habits or thoughts. The mice infestation can symbolize fears, anxieties, or feelings of being overwhelmed by the situation and how it relates to your metaphorical “home” (inner self).
Life Together
The exchange about officially starting a life together is particularly intriguing. It might suggest a merging of ideas, values, or parts of yourself. The pause before you express your feelings conveys hesitation or fear about this new phase, hinting at uncertainty about what the future holds.
Conclusion
Overall, your dream reflects a journey of self-discovery and growth, filled with both hopeful aspirations and cautionary reminders about the effort required in making significant life changes. The woman from your past signifies an unresolved chapter of your life or aspects of your personality that you are currently integrating as you evolve. The dream encourages you to embrace this transitional period constructively while being mindful of minor setbacks along the way.