Dreaming About the Meaning of Life
I had a different post planned for today (come back tomorrow for more Sicilian adventures–sneak preview in my Flickr set!), but this morning I woke up after having a most interesting exchange with a random bearded man in un sogno–a dream.
In italiano.
We were in a souvenir store, and he was near the back listening to my conversation with the woman clerk about what I’m doing in Calabria.
He walked towards us, rubbing his hands together, turned to me, and said:
Cara signorina, mi dice, tra un Papa e un povero,
chi passa la vita migliore?
[Dear miss, tell me, between a Pope and a poor man,
who lives the better life?]
I paused, looked up to my left then into his dark eyes, and responded:
Caro Signore, questa non è la domanda.
La domanda è . . . chi ha apprezzato la vita di più?
[Dear sir, that’s not the question.
The question is . . . who has appreciated life more?]
When I told P about my dream and he said simply, “Hai risposto giusto.”
You answered correctly.
With all of this churning through my head, I took off for my morning walk with the pooches, and guarda!
The first margherita of the season:
Life is good.
Have a fabulous week my peeps.
28 Beans of Wisdom to “Dreaming About the Meaning of Life”
Recipes
Are you kidding me? How awesome was that dream?!
Also, I love P’s response.
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Considering my dreams are usually too odd and ridiculous to even bear repeating, I woke up with a distinct “wow” feeling. I don’t even think like that very often in waking life, let alone in the dreamworld…in Italian no less! Just had to record it here 🙂
hey i also had a dream in italian last night. Can’t remember it now but for sure it wasn’t as philosophical as yours. I was just stoked that it was in italian!!
Our daisies are blooming too. Vanessa
Obviously the Italian dream fairy was around sprinkling something….and woohoo!
I have dreams of naked men or being chased by axe murderers. Could u teach me to have deep, meaningful dreams!!?
OK how bad are the naked men dreams really? Believe me this dream was definitely out of the ordinary for me; I often dream in Italian, but never so philosophically 😉
I was heartbroken the first time I dreamt in Italian. Is that wrong? I felt like I was losing a part ofmyslef. Iguess I sould have been happy that I was starting to really let myself be a part of this crazy culture. Very cool dream though. And by the way, a good Italian would play those numbers!
Look up bearded man, pope, poor man, souvenir shop, clerk, question ; )
http://www.lottoitalia.com/smorfia/index.html
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Hah Joanne, I have the book sitting right here next to me…Sogni Lotto Super Enalotto 😉 I got it for P one year for his birthday…it has yet to earn its keep though. Maybe tonight!
Very interesting dream…but you know me. I have to know more.
How did the old guy answer you??
J/K. Very neat dream and BRAVA for the sogno in italiano!
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I woke up after I shared my wisdom–I think I shocked myself awake 😉
P’s answer sort of reminded me of that movie line, *You choose wisely, grasshopper*!
Buon settimana 😉
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That’s so funny because I thought of the grasshopper line too 🙂
Beautiful dream. Everything is so clear in our subconscience, huh? Too bad we can’t access it while we are awake. I also dream in Italian (more like, ABOUT Italian). It’s strange because my level of comprehension is MAYBE elementary, and my speech is nothing less than brutal. I wonder if the language is somewhere buried in my mind at I can only access it when I am not straining to understand or speak. It’s never the entire dream, it’s just slices here and there.
When you first got here, could you not turn your brain off? I fall asleep translating things in my mind and wake up doing the same…
I’ve read a bit of Carl Jung’s studies of dreams for school recently. Fascinating. If I study more I’ll get back to you about what he’d say it meant. Although it seems pretty self-explanatory. Just wondering who the old bearded guy represents…
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Any insight would be greatly appreciated Maggie! The bearded guy wasn’t old, though, probably between 45 and 60–dark beard and hair, no white/grey that I could see.
And yes, I did find that I had a hard time turning off my translations, which is why it’s a bit odd for me to hear from people who can’t seem to turn it on…I was always talking to myself in Italian, and I still do (stupid things like what I need to do…devo andare al negozio…etc.)….
Dreaming in Italian…that is so cool. I rarely remember my dreams. Oh, sometimes I wake up ticked off at my husband over something he said or did in my dream. He looks at me like “what?” “what did I do?”
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Hah, that’s definitely happened to me too! Too funny 😉
What an awesome dream. I too, think you answered correctly!
Thanks Jody 🙂
Very deep dream Michelle.
I had one last night with an Italian not in Italian. 🙂 !!
A
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Ooh la la…that will work too 😉
Wow, you’re quite the sage dreamer! 🙂 Love it!
Christina
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I never knew I was until last night 😉
How cool Michelle! 🙂
Was that your first dream in Italian? That is always a great sign! 🙂
Hope you are doing well – thanks for the email!
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Oh I’ve been dreaming in Italian for quite a while, and believe me, it didn’t use to make this much sense 😉
Hi, Michelle! What a cool dream. I rarely remember mine, darn it. So what souvenir were you buying? lol Thanks for visiting my party and I hope you have a great Monday!
Good question Robin. Actually I was in there with a friend who was visiting, so she was looking for souvenirs while I talked with the clerk. Hope you’re having a great day too 🙂
Awesome, M – both your dream and your abaility to remember it. I can remember my dreams so seldom that it’s a special treat for me… like a trip to an amusement park, but one that’s dedicated to ME ME ME.
Some Jungian thoughts for you:
# The Wise Old Man may take various forms; for example, old bearded man: Attend to whatever this figure tells you in dreams: the result could be a transformation of your personality and your life, in tune with your true self.
Beard – Often symbolize virility and male sexuality. In a woman’s dream it would symbolize the dreamer’s own libido or primitive psyche energy. A bearded man may represent practical wisdom within the psyche.
http://www.mythsdreamssymbols.com/
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Hmm…very interesting. The bearded man was testing me. Wonder what *that* means….
As for remembering dreams, I’m usually pretty lucky to remember them, but this is the first time I can remember something so explicit in Italian–part of that is because I actually woke up from this dream and then told P right away. This was definitely a treat. Especially since it kind of marked a moment of my being able to have a “comeback” as we’ve discussed so much–an actual intelligent response in Italian to a question in Italian. A double treat, if you will 🙂
Wow, getting deep in dreamland! You’re a serious philosopher, but that side of you certainly does come out in your posts. I guess your subconscious can’t help but reflect that. Just another reason why I love your blog! : )
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Aw thanks; you know I’m fond of visiting you too…and what’s this about cupcakes and muffins? I’m so there!
Love the dream and you interpretation of it. party on blogger!
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Thanks Ada, and thanks for visiting 🙂
~*Hai risposto giusto.*~
indeed!
🙂
i am so GLAD you live over there
and
have these things treasures to share.
so GLAD.
[ i wonder what you were doing
in a souvenir store?
maybe you were shopping for things to bring back over to the states
when you come back to show P. the Grand Canyon! yeah, that’s the ticket…]
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Hah! I like that reasoning 🙂 Actually I think in the dream a friend was visiting me here and she was looking at the souvenirs. That part isn’t so clear anymore….
I want to dream in Italian!!! Now it is more like I dream that I will speak Italian someday. I love dreams, and I am very intrigued by yours… I am not surprised by your answer as it exemplifies what you are doing every day since you moved here. Good night.
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Thank you for your kind words Beatriz, and don’t worry, the dreams will come 🙂
Very cool dream! Mine aren’t usually so profound. They either involve the British Royal family (yes, I know it’s weird!) or a shopping spree where I find the most wonderful clothes, shoes and bags and then – poof! – all gone. I’ve cried many a bitter tear in the morning.
Lovely pic of the daisy. Can’t wait for spring!
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Hah, mine aren’t usually so profound either, but I can’t say I’ve ever dreamed of the Royal family…I might tonight now though. The shopping spree ones are just mean. Your subconscious is mean!!!!
What a dream! Thank you for the margherita, it’s nice to know that there is a spring somewhere… We got over a foot of snow over the weekend:o)
Well I could do with a *bit* of snow, but over a foot is pushing it. Hope you’re all dug out 😉
Too cool. Are you that philosophical when you are awake?? I wish I would dream like that!
You know Annie, I was talking to my mom about the dream and I said I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have answered that way in my waking state. I’m somewhat philosophical, I suppose, but even if I were writing fiction, that question and answer wouldn’t have come to me. Although now I’m free to use it 😉
Can I say this may have been too deep for a Monday night?
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Yes you certainly may. And I just might agree 😉
~~Michelle’s beautiful dream..[Dear sir, that’s not the question.
The question is . . . who has appreciated life more?]~~
Michelle..good thoughts..and I’ll probably be thinking about it all day. 🙂
My thoughts on your question would be..
What causes appreciation..
Who appreciates..
The one who has much?
The one who has little?
How about the one who receives a little after having nothing.
How about the one who receives a little when he already has much. It would be like crumbs to him.
How about the one who gives little out of their abundance compared to
The one who gives much out of what they lack..i.e. the poor widow who gives a mite..the whole of her treasure.
To her greatness is reckoned.
How about forgiveness? He who has been forgiven for much appreciates and loves much more,
compared to him who thinks he needs no forgiveness.
To the blind a ray of light gives more than a mere illumination..it’s the hope of the seeing..the hope of what can be revealed.
Ciao my friend and have a most illuminating day! 🙂
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Such wonderful thoughts Laurie…and since it’s nearing my bedtime here, I suppose another dream is order for me 😉
Wow, what a fantastic dream, mine are seldom that deep and meaningful, but I do tend to remember my dreams pretty regularly. And a beautiful photo too, so “springy”. 😀
I have a little thank you for you over at my blog today, make sure to stop on by. 😉
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I love that title of your post–thank *you* for the continual blog love 🙂
Bunny peeps? Or Chick peeps? I am all about the Bunny Peeps.
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Truth? Any peep will do. Even those white snowman “peeps” at Christmas. Just lurve that stuff that makes my teeth hurt!
What a sage dream! I have yet to dream in Italian (that I can recall) but I am looking forward to it. Like you, most of my dreams are too surreal to bear repeating, but occasionally there are those dreams that truly set the tone for the coming day, such as the one you described. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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This one was definitely nicer than my usual ones, yes–and I’m sure you’ll be dreaming in Italian in no time and wondering if you really know all those words deep down 😉
What a beautiful dream!
I love your answer and I love that P approved of it.
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Thank you 🙂