Cracking the Code
Last month, during an afternoon nap, I began to dream. At first, I didn’t realize I was dreaming, because like so many of my dreams, it felt real. Not symbolic in the way we often dismiss dreams, but vivid, immersive, and detailed. I was moving through what felt like stages of my life, almost as if I were navigating levels in a game. Each stage carried an element of danger. In order to escape, I had to pay attention. I had to listen closely to the clues being given. I had to notice what I might otherwise overlook. Only then could I crack the code and be transported to the next level. The settings were familiar: my childhood hometown, vacations I’ve taken, stores I’ve visited, places that once held meaning. Each location felt intentional, as if my subconscious were drawing on my own history to teach me something I hadn’t yet integrated. And for a while, I was successful. I passed level after level. But before I woke up, there was one stage I couldn’t get through. I kept looping. The sa...