Today, before going to work where I teach kids I took a quick nap. My concerns around waking up in time leaked into my dream. I dreamt that I went to work as usual, but older kids had shown up for my toddler class. I was confused about them being there, but agreed to let them stay if they assisted in teaching.

When I woke up, but for just a brief moment when I hadn’t fully become alert, I was of the impression that I no longer needed to go to work because class already happened. Luckily, I woke up fully, went to work, and had toddler class without any interruption from the older students.

Prior to starting class I shared my dream with one of the mothers there. She too had a dream of her mundane work day, and had woken this morning feeling that since she had taken care of all that she needed to she no longer needed to go to work.

What a strong impression dreams have when they consist of such normal every day events. Going through the day unsure if you’ve already done something or merely dreamt it, had a conversation with someone or imagined it, is simultaneously interesting and confusing. In that moment of just waking, when I was still foggy from sleep, I had the utmost conviction that my middle school students had come to help me teach. Though the second time I walked into work today, this time fully conscience, they were nowhere to be found. All the conviction I felt about the events that occurred while sleeping conflicted with the reality of actually being in the space.