I’ve been haunted by anxiety lately. Everything feels so unsettled right now. Someone extremely close to my heart is facing a scary health problem. I’m forging ahead in this new life, not knowing what I’m doing or where I’m going. The holidays are looming.
I wake up several times a night with a racing heart and mind. My thoughts immediately go to trying to control. By controlling my inner world, I guess, I’m controlling something. I can’t control the outer world, so at least I can control my thoughts. But the thoughts are out of control and useless, anyway. They try to predict the future and change the past. Both completely fruitless and frustrating.
My dreams are fleeting and hard to remember upon waking. I remember some parts of a dream I had a few nights ago. Dave was alive again, but suddenly collapsed. We were in the middle of nowhere and I was running to find help, screaming for someone, anyone, to help me help him. I don’t remember how the dream ended.
Last night, though, I dreamed of the ocean. Every time I dream of the ocean, it’s a peaceful, happy dream. Every single time. This time, I was fully dressed but standing knee deep in some gorgeous tropical waters. The water felt so perfect and looked so inviting that as a wave pressed up against the side of me, I just let myself fall into the water and smiled with pleasure. The water enveloped me and I felt free of anxiety while I floated in the vast blueness of it.
I want to feel free of anxiety like I did in that dream. I want to feel that in my waking hours. I long to feel that way again.
The way it feels to be able to let go and relax fully. I don’t think I’ve felt that in more than 6 months. Except in my dreams.