Dream Catcher

The Dream Catcher is one of the most beautiful stories in American  Indian Mythology.

It is said that both good dreams and bad dreams circulate in the Night air.

The loop, its center woven in a web-like pattern, allows the good dreams to pass through the web into the sleeper,

But makes the bad dreams become entangled in the web, where they perish at the first light of Dawn.

 A year ago my  granddaughter Jordan  and my daughter flew to Florida for a visit.  While they were here, Jordan confided in me that she had "bad dreams".   I listened intently to her recounting a few "bad dreams", remembering my fear when I was young and had a few of those "bad dreams" myself.   I immediately thought of the dream catcher that  I had hanging from my bed.   I took Jordan into my bedroom and showed her the little Dream Catcher.   I told her about the dream catcher telling her the beautiful story of how the the Dream Catcher would prevent her from having bad dreams, but allow her to have the good dreams.  I watched her face light up as I promised to give her mine.   When it came time for them to leave, I untied the little Dream Catcher from my bed and handed it to Jordan.  She carefully packed it in her carry on bag  and promised that she would call me in a few days.   True to her word, she called me and told me ,  "The Dream Catcher had caught her "bad dreams" and she only had good dreams now." Of course I was delighted.  Over the next several months I searched in the neighborhood shops for a Dream Catcher, but I could not find another.  I remembered when I had first been given my Dream Catcher.  It had been long ago when I first saw the dream catcher in a little wooden shop nestled in Evergreen,  I pointed at the little Dream Catcher and Michael smiled as he watched my eyes dance as I looked at it hanging among several dream catchers that were displayed.   He reached into his pocket and paid the shop keeper  as I carefully tucked my little gift snuggly into my purse.  I had kept it over the years and the Dream Catcher had made the move to Florida with me.   I had tied it on the head of my bed and it had hung there until I had given it to Jordan.

When Deb and Jordan flew out to Florida two weeks ago, Jordan immediately produced the little Dream Catcher that she had packed to bring to Florida.  She said, "Grandma, put this by the bed so I won't have bad dreams while I am here!"  I immediately placed the Dream Catcher on the bed stand so that Jordan could see it.  The Dream Catcher did its job and once again, when it was time for them to leave, Jordan packed the little Dream Catcher in her bag.  I told her that I had looked for another dream catcher, but I simply could not find one.  She said, "I know Grandma, I have looked too, and there aren't any in the stores!" 

Today I went to the mail, and there was a neat little package from Deb and Jordan.  I opened the package and as my hands reached inside, I withdrew the gift that Jordan had found for me.  It was a beautiful Dream Catcher.   I withdrew it and held it lovingly in my hands, and then walked to my bed and tied it in the center of my headboard so that it could hang above my head as I sleep.    I picked up the phone and called Deb and Jordie and thanked them for this precious gift that Jordan had found for me while on vacation here in Florida.  They found it in a little shop in the Everglades.  Jordan had immediately picked it out for me.  Deb said she was adamant about getting the Dream Catcher.  "Its for Grandma, so that she won't have bad dreams!"