I had a dream the other night that I'm still thinking about. That's rather rare. I don't remember some of the details (very normal for a dream, in my experience), but since I subconsciously invented the whole thing, I'll fill in the details the way I represent it in my mind now.

I was in a state of existence in a dim world. I existed on a type of plateau with a steep drop hundreds of feet down to an ocean splashing against the dark rock cliff. The top of the plateau stretched beyond my sight and was rather barren - a few rocks and a single thin, dark, ancient, and sturdy tree with only a few leaves.

I existed in this place for a long time - serene and almost in a meditative mindset. Then, one evening, I stood near the cliff edge and saw far in the distance, a dark (nearly black) wave of extraordinary height was coming my direction. It was beyond panic or fear - it was so immense and grand that the danger was a puny concept. It was simply awe inspiring. It was 'awesome' in the word's truest sense. It immeasurably high. The picture above is not even a ripple in comparison.

It swooped towards me and in a moment I was submerged - inside the towering wall of water. It was not cold or hot. It would have been wet, except that the word lost its meaning since 'dry' was inconceivable in this new underwater existence.

The force of the water tore past me, but I found my arms wrapped around the stout tree. The wave had unbelievable force that nothing could oppose and yet I was secure because I was part of the tree, the tree was part of the cliff, and the cliff was immovable.

I remained submerged in the rushing water for a long time. I opened my eyes and watched the water race by. I breathed somehow in a very natural way. The wave was powerful, angry, and had no sympathy for me, but I remained calm and in a state of awe. I was where I belonged in spite of the chaos around me.

The dream ended.

Once more (the same night), I dreamed the same entire dream. Once more the dream ended.

A third time, I dreamed the same thing. But this time, I let go of the tree. I found myself a mere particle in the raging wave as is swept over everything. I lost all orientation and no action I was capable of mattered in the slightest. I fell unconscious - not worried, but still under water and very lost. Darkness.

I became conscious, floating on the open sea. Lost and alone in a way I hadn't felt on the plateau. I was still calm, but knew my future consisted of drifting forever. No control. Nothing. Only floating. I sensed a deep remorse for ever choosing to let go of the tree...

Then I woke up.

This dream struck me as a deeply symbolic experience. Very ethereal and yet purely sensory. The only things close to this dream were the surreal moments in "The Fountain".

What does it all mean? Is each wave a school year - overwhelming me every time? Is the tree my values? Is the tree a person that keeps me sane? Does the last wave foretell my doom? Did I simply need to go to the bathroom really bad? I have no idea.