I had a strange dream last night, rather what I would categorize as a nightmare. I dreamt that a couple of hours before my wedding ceremony, my wedding gown was irreversibly stained with large henna marks. Needless to say I was very upset in my dream and even in my conscious state because I suddenly woke up with a strange knotty feeling in my throat.
On vague analysis I realized that I had spoken to a close friend on her marriage into a Christian family and had discussed whether she would be adorned in a wedding gown. I knew the source of the subconscious conjured images of a wedding gown, and a wedding. But what intrigued me was the imagery of the henna stains. It almost seemed ominous.
As I completed my morning chores, the impending message of the dream kept me preoccupied. I was thinking and analyzing and then I realized that the imagery related more in the context of the already-married, than the to-be-married-soon! The imagery was precisely related to me, as a married woman. The henna stain symbolized the sometimes harsh impact of domesticity on the gossamer fabric of matrimonial bliss, and dreams.
The dream symbolized how sugarcoated matrimonial aspirations of newly-weds are slowly overpowered and stained by the daily grind – of groceries and bills, of home loans and house rents, of fluctuating job stability, of familial pressures, of investments and installments, of misunderstandings and misgivings, of expectations and delicate bonds, of child-bearing and rearing, and so many multifarious issues, that confront the man and woman, who once stood smiling in their wedding dresses, feeling on top of the world! It truly was me, in that wedding dress, with a henna stain that depicted the harsh reality of matrimonial life.
Having found a more logical explanation to my dream, I felt slightly at peace, and went about my morning routine. My eyes fell on yesterday’s newspaper, and a sigh escaped my lips. The Indian Judiciary had legalized live-in relationship status of couples…. I wondered, whether the lack of a wedding dress, would actually save one from the trauma of a henna stain on the precious attire!
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snigdha Says:
October 15th, 2008 at 2:55 PMHi,
Infact I came to your blog and then saw your e-mail then came again
I dont know about the dream interpretation part of it but yes wedding is something that we all look foward to but marriage seems to be the spoilt sport. I mean daily chores, expectations, misunderstandings, tasks to be completed at work and at home , everything takes a toll on us and gradually the romance seems to take a back seat.
I would also like to add here that a lot depends on what kind of understanding 2 people in a relationship share. It takes 2 to tango and it takes 2 to make any marriage work and not look like an effort. There was a time when I used to crib about the chores and errands that I had to run, most of which was due to a useless maid. Now with a better maid many of my problems is solved. But then there are things which one can’t do anything about and that is over- demanding relatives.
I guess a lil dose of romance and understanding, holding hands and doing naughty things together goes a long way in keeping that “wedding dress” white and sparkling even with the henna stains
Would like to tell you that you are doing a great job as a wife and a homemaker. The pains and efforts that you take in keeping everything in order, I dont even do half of it.