In Your Dreams

Dear Cynthia: I had this dream when I was little and I will never forget it. I was lying in bed, and every so often the room would glow for about two seconds, then go dim again.

I dreamed I got out of bed to investigate, and a yellow ball of fire circled around me. I had the impulse to walk down the hallway, but a picture of a dragon appeared in my mind. I froze in the middle of my room wondering what to do. Then I snuggled up in bed and woke up!

--Benjamin, 10, Beverly Hills

Dear Benjamin: My bet is that you were an active child and not completely tired at bedtime. You sound very bright. I imagine that you felt like you were missing out on good stuff while in bed awake, and that you often got out of bed. Your parents probably told you to stay in bed and go to sleep. Being in the dark awake and not really wanting to be there is frustrating.

Your dream reflects your interest in what was happening in the house (the glowing light) and the possibility of getting in trouble (the dragon) if you got out of bed to investigate. Notice that in the dream, when you snuggled in bed (what you were supposed to do), you woke up fine!

*

Dear Cynthia: When I was younger I had a recurring dream that really used to scare me. I dreamed that a monster was chasing me, and I knew if he caught me he would eat me. What does this mean?

--Derek, 13, Ventura

Dear Derek: Monster dreams are very common. Any stress or fear can appear as a monster in a dream. Your dream could have been triggered by a scary movie or story. The Big Bad Wolf who wants to eat Little Red Riding Hood is an example of a scary image.

Being consumed means that you wouldn’t exist. You might have had this dream during a time you felt ignored. Or you may have felt someone was angry with you. But since you no longer have the dream, it would seem that you now understand the situation better or it’s no longer an issue.

*

DREAM TIP: Kids, many holiday stories and movies have a dream in them. Try to find the dream when you are watching or listening. Also be sure to write down your dreams during the holidays and send them in! Sweet dreams.

--CYNTHIA RICHMOND

In Your Dreams runs on Wednesday. Send a short description of your dream (50 words or fewer) to In Your Dreams, Southern California Living, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053; e-mail cynthrich@aol.com; or fax (213) 237-0732. Please include your name, age, hometown or school, and phone number.