I dream of flight

A recent article has me dreamily in the clouds.

One of my favorite night journeys doesn't happen nearly enough. I've had flying dreams since I was a child. They're never scary, always exhilarating and surprising. 

I assumed that everyone experienced these flights of nighttime fancy, but have found that it's not true. Maybe that's why, in my dreams, I often try to teach other people how easy it is to fly.

I'm rarely aware of lucid dreams, and can't will myself to dream anything in particular. I wish I could. But then I would lose the delight of surprise. In fact, when these special dreams happen, I'll suddenly realize that I'm flying and the joy that accompanies it surpasses anything in my waking life.

In the "real" world, I've always had trouble being punctual. I'm getting better, but it takes great deliberation to get places on time. (Jill has helped with this -- she just gets in the car and I know it's time to speed it up.) For years I've claimed that the reason I'm late is that I still believe, from some previous existence, that I can leave and arrive at the same time. See how this all fits in?

In 1979, I had a near-death experience in a medical setting. It was amazing and not at all frightening. In fact, it was sublimely joyful, and changed me in subtle ways. Only when I am asleep and flying have I been able to come close to that experience again.

I know, I know. It's brain stuff. Something to do with neurons and synapses and neurotransmitters. I'm down with that. I like science. I'm used to brain-based, pleasure-center experiences carrying me into alternate realities. I'm an ex-addict, remember? But that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy zipping through the universe in my dreams.

Life is full of mysteries. One of the speculative observations in that article stated that people with positive mindsets are more likely to experience flying dreams. I choose that theory.

The happier I am, the more I fly. And now I can do it without substances. Pretty cool.