Short dream in a long flight
On long flights of 10 hours or more, there is a definite time when I feel gloomy. When going from Japan to the USA or Europe, it is such a long flight. The lights are turned off in the cabin to adjust for the time difference. Although I am not sleepy, I try to sleep somehow to reduce jet lag later on. On this flight, in my shallow sleep, I had a strange dream. KAN and Kenichi Kurosawa were playing tag downtown like children with their musician friends. They have been my favorite Japanese-pop musicians, and unfortunately, both of them have already passed away. I watched them in my dream. Even if only in my dream, I was glad that they were happy. I hope they are having fun in heaven as well.
Painful time in the long flight
Here’s the bad part: once I woke up from the dream, it was hard to sleep. I could get up and read a book or watch a film. But I tried to sleep with my eyes closed as much as possible to reduce jet lag after landing. However, sleep did not come at all and only bad memories from the past came to mind. Memories of terrible things being done to me, painful past memories… I can’t even get them out online, they just keep going round and round in my head. Often, I have these times on long flights where the bedtime is set. I have to give up and get up and read a book. Or I have to suffer through it and somehow wait for the wake-up time.
Time to face up to tough events and heal myself
It is a painful time, but for me that time is rather important. I stare out of the plane window into the darkness. I consciously confront the painful things in my life, as these are the things that have hurt me the most and that I don’t want to remember. It may be also important time for my mind to heal itself. I tell myself that I did the best I could at the time, and that it was an unavoidable conflict. Or, I think that I should stop dwelling on the past and spend less time reminiscing. Being in a closed environment where the internet and streaming music are not immediately accessible, we can have a precious opportunity to slowly reflect on the past. When you think about it, a sleepless long-haul flight is not so bad.
