I lost Will in Europe

I picked up a second version of the flu that is going around while on the coast and have been as ill, or more so, than I was before heading down there. As a result, I have not been sleeping well.

After getting Will off to school this morning I went back to bed and fell instantly asleep. I dreamed we visited some unspecific place in Europe and ended up at this three-mile long river-walk type environment. Will and I got separated from everyone we knew. The area was crowded, and streets were crooked and there were ton's of dead ends. We were walking. I had no idea where we were.

We walked for hours and Will was whining. I was scared. Then I turn around and Will is gone. I searched for him for hours. Crying. Screaming his name. I finally managed to locate the house we were staying at and tell everyone that he was missing. They laughed. Everyone gets lost there first time here. No biggie.

The terror of the dream woke me and I glanced up to see that I'd only been asleep an hour. Not really awake, I felt driven to go back to sleep and find Will. I had to find Will. I slept for another hour and searched until I was horse and cried out. I never found him. I awoke chilled and terrified.

As the day progresses, I realize it was just a dream, and not a difficult one to figure out. So far in January, I've lost Ella, my brother-in-law's 18-year old niece failed to wake up after a party on New Year Eve, two women's husbands have left them, and my neighbors 16-year old daughter turned up pregnant.

Lots of loss; lives, family, hope, the future.