Personal Narrative: Moving Away From The Bridge

All human beings, no matter the age, experience feelings of helplessness. There are times in our lives where we are forced through changes against our will, and we are forced to accept circumstances. In these situations, we have to look inward to fully understand our reactions. We can gain new insights if we are willing to take a second look at the ideas and thoughts that come to us in the form of dreams. For children, when there are changes in their parents’ lives, the children are forced to change with them, whether they are ready to or not. Kids are in a position where they must accept whatever changes come their way. Reflecting on our childhood dreams can be a way of understanding and gaining a new perspective on things we have experienced

I feel uneasy trying to step between the gaping holes of wood. Looking down I see rushing water with the jaws of snapping crocodiles ready to rip me to shreds if I dare slip. The bridge begins to tremble beneath me with every gust of wind. I think to escape, but looking down I see my hands are bound. The rope is so tight and so thick I have no choice but to follow my kidnapper across the bridge. I feel water hitting my arms, and I begin to realize that I am crying profusely. A thought crosses into my mind telling me to jump. I am faced with the decision to follow my captivator into the unknown or take the jump to immediate death. With tears rushing down my rosy cheeks I jump. For the first time my body responds to my wishes and I am falling. Free falling so fast the tears are dried, and the wind is running through my jet black hair. The water is approaching so fast that I begin to realize this really is the end, and with the splash of water I snap

For me, in this dream, there are many metaphors that were representative of my emotions and thoughts at that time. Being lost in a dream usually is representative of feelings of frustration and anxiety. As a kid I was frustrated at my parents for forcing me to go to school alone and separating me from my brother. I was so anxious about living a life that didn’t involve my right-hand man, my partner in crime, my brother. Getting kidnapped in a dream can be very symbolic. Getting kidnapped can suggest the loss of control over your own life. At this time I was at ends with my parents. I was so mad that they were splitting up against my will, but I had no say, I was only a child. Even at a very young age feeling helpless can be an overwhelming feeling that leads to sadness and anxiety. My kidnapper took me to a bridge dangling over water and connecting two walls of a ravine. This bridge is a metaphor for my life before my parents’ divorce, and the unknown world of family life after the divorce. This bridge wavering above water can represent that this transition from old to new will me an emotional one. This could not be truer for me at that time. I was very emotional while my life was changing from comfort and normal, living in the average family, to a new definition of family and