I’m not a fan of my (supposed) alternate self

My mother always warned not to talk about your dreams before breakfast, otherwise they would come true. Sure, it is just an old wive’s tale, but the idea is frightening enough to make you keep your mouth shut until after you wolf down some cereal or scrambled eggs, especially if you are prone to nightmares. 

The happenings in dreamland are a common conversation topic for my family. Though I’ve given my children the same admonition I received, they typically can’t wait until after the morning meal before sharing. However, memory is best upon waking up, so I don’t press the issue. Dreams can range from the mundane to the fantastical, so it’s always difficult to determine if my kids are recalling an actual dream or just trying to one up each other with tall tales. 

I simply listen and take the retellings with a grain of salt.

People have tried to put meanings to dreams throughout human history. Stone tablets dating back to ancient Mesopotamia have been discovered with etchings containing the interpretations of dreams of old kings. Reportedly the dreams of King Gudea led him to rebuild a famous temple. Unfortunately, however, his advisors were unable to decipher the meaning behind his reoccurring dream about giving a speech to his high school English class while wearing nothing but a ceremonial headdress. 

A new, yet controversial scientific study suggests that our dreams connect us to versions of ourselves in other dimensions. This concept fully embraces the multiverse theory that points to the existence of realms of reality, all containing a copy of every person who ever lived or are living, but each making different choices. That means there could be, somewhere out there in the universe, another version of yours truly, more successful and handsome than me. That son-of-a-gun carries a heavy burden. 

Every dream you have, particularly recurring visions featuring recurring emotions, is a link to an alternate version of yourself … supposedly. The whole thing gives me a headache. There are some people that I can’t imagine there being better or worse versions of, myself included, and others that the universe can barely handle one of, let alone countless copies. 

But if this is true, there are versions of my children somewhere in the cosmos having a good time. Their dreams involve other worldly exploits of heroism and adventure, often including their best friends from school. They’re out there living their best life. 

My recurring dreams usually include being back at an old job, a disliked one, while trapped in a conversation with someone I didn’t like in high school. Perhaps dreams of the fantastical fade away with age and responsibility, or the alternate reality versions of myself are faring much worse than I am. 

So that brings up the question: What is the alternate me dreaming?

 You can reach Kyle Dominy at k.l.dominy@gmail.com or write to 115 S. Jefferson St. Dublin, Ga. 31022.