It is almost shameful for me to mention this, but I didn't get up today until 4 this afternoon.  I remember being in bed by 2 or 3 last night, but just couldn't get up today.  I am now sitting here drinking coffee trying to return to the land of the living.
I had the strangest and some of the worst dreams I have ever had last night and today.  I remember dreaming that my daughter was kidnapped by someone in a large van while walking along a neighborhood street.  Later I dreamt that there was a dead body and it had been hidden in a large box standing on the yard and a bony hand was sticking out of the box.  Next I found myself in a church and being forced to read this encrypted message that stated I had committed the murder and hidden the body.  Needless to say, I found all of this subconscious weirdness unnerving.  Perhaps that is why I was unable to become fully awake until this afternoon.
I don't put a whole lot of stock into dreams but do realize that often they can be the voice of what lies in our minds that we do not always voice publically or eve to ourselves privately.  For many years when my daughter was younger, I would waken in the night calling out and asking where she was.  Many times when this would happen she would be visiting her dad and not at home with me.
I can say that the news coverage of that killing and fire that happened in California has been on my mind.  I don't understand why someone can be so selfish as to take the lives of others or of themselves.  Life can become very messy and distressing at times, but never so bad that death is in order.
The holidays are a difficult time, even without the current state of our economy and the loss of jobs and increase in unemployment.  I do think that people are pressed to the extremes when dealing with all of this.  That is where family and friendship comes into play, and where people need to turn to their support system to weather tough times.  I know that I am fortunate to have good friends and open communication to deal with the good and the bad in my life.
(I didn't mean for this post to turn preachy.  Sorry about that.)
So I have easily downed a half a pot of coffee and I am starting to feel somewhat alive.  I am over the frantic dreams of last night and won't even try to interpret them or make sense of them, if there is any sense to be found.
The night is young.  I am no longer mumbling like an idiot, or walking around with my arms outstretched in front of me.  I think I am going dancing with a couple of friends later, so I better end this post and finish making myself look human.