I was on a large cruise ship with a group of friends (not people that I know in my waking life). They were all younger than me and they all seemed relaxed and in the mood to party. I felt welcome and comfortable with them.

One in particular was a romantic interest. He was very in love with me, and it was mutual. He was very affectionate and attentive. At one point he and I had a conversation regarding one of the girls we were friends with. Apparently she had roughed me up at some point in the past for reasons I do not remember. He asked me if she had taken it easy on me and I responded that she had not. But for some reason I wasn't angry at this girl and we were on good terms at the moment.

We had a suite or cabin on this ship that was overlooking what looked like Catalina Island. We were closer than you can see it from shore in Laguna. We were gathered on a deck of the ship, he and I and a group of our friends. I was so excited to be on our way to Catalina. I told him how beautiful everything was and how in awe I was of where we were and what we were doing. He took my hand and told me "You haven't seen anything yet; after this, I'm going to take you to South Africa."

Then we all entered the water. Everything became surreal and beautiful and like no other dream I have ever had in my life--and I often dream very vivid dreams. The water was like tepid bath water, very comfortable. I wore a very ethereal dress and I could feel it swirling around me in the water. As we swam I noticed things that were like buildings or small destinations in the water (this is a place I have dreamt about before). As we swam I realized there were many people in the water. Hordes of them! So many people that our bodies all touched as we were swimming.

It seemed that everyone in the water was on vacation, like we were. Everyone was jolly and the mood in the air was electric and happy. For a moment I was afraid of sharks (a real fear of mine, although it never stops me from swimming in the ocean), but the fear was fleeting--I realized that there were so many of us it didn't seem like a threat. During this portion of the dream I could hear "The Flower Song" by Lakme.

We swam further out into the ocean and encountered a ship much smaller than ours, the sort you take for a short pleasure cruise. This ship was partially submerged. I remember because I swam into it through an open door that was waist-deep in water. Inside, a man in a yellow hat spoke to me in French. My boyfriend answered him in French in a somewhat heated way, defending me. It seemed that the man had spoken to me in a way that offended my boyfriend. We entered the ship anyway and went to the top.

The ship began to cruise. As I looked out the ocean was not smooth, but it wasn't turbulent--almost like rolling hills. It was beautiful and the surface of the water was reflecting so many colors... it was like a Van Gogh painting. There were still many people swimming in the water. Off to my left there were waves, big ones, and people surfing on them. But those waves, though they were close to us, didn't affect the water we were sailing on. Dolphins leapt in and out of the water ahead of us.

Then, off to my right, there was a very large rock. It was colorful, rusty reds, and patina stained the rock all over. It shimmered in and out of different colors and at the top there were carvings. We approached it very close, and I was nervous that we might hit it and sink, much like the Titanic hitting an iceberg. But like my earlier fear of the sharks I suddenly felt everything would be okay. Then we were right next to the rock and everyone reached out to touch the top. It was carved into a cherub. I believe we were touching it for good luck.

I could feel the water all around me and my dress fluttering around in the water. Then my boyfriend came up to me talking about the Frenchman again and how he couldn't believe what he had said. I felt loved and protected.

NOTES

All in all, the dream was very calming, relaxing, and nurturing. I felt loved, I felt accepted, and surrounded by beauty. It was the most incredible dream of my life. It has not left my mind all day and I feel very moved by it. I have been searching for meaning, but I find dream dictionaries to be very impersonal. This dream has given me a very calm feeling. I hope that it is a bearer of good things to come because my life has been very difficult and I feel very alone and often hopeless.

--'Amandaclay'

EDITOR'S NOTE

I have the same frustration with dream dictionaries. Some dreams just aren't about symbols, interpretations or messages--they're experiences that transform you, just as powerful waking experiences can. This dream feels like one--more of a promise, or a guide to action. This kind of love and acceptance is clearly what you want and what you should look for. The only question is how.

Many dreams of mine that I think are symbolic later turn out to be predictive. And not just mine--consider Michelle's dream of love on a cruise ship! Yours may be like that. Maybe you should take some cruises to Catalina--it could be that simple. You never know.

--Chris Wayan

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