I was doing housework in my sleep last night.

Not doing it, exactly, but dreaming about it. Apparently, we were having company, and in my dream I had just finished vacuuming, and cleaning the mirrors and windows, and was in the process of sweeping the floor. Thankfully, I woke up before I had to scrub the toilets.

I don’t recall ever dreaming about doing housework before, and whenever I wake up remembering a dream vividly, I like to try to figure out what in my waking hours may have triggered it.

We’re not expecting company anytime soon, and the house was already pretty clean, since I was planning to host my monthly Book Club a few days ago, before our meeting got postponed due to concerns about COVID. Omicron is running rampant in our area, as in many others, and several of our Book Club members have either had it or been exposed, or were concerned about possible exposure that could put other family members – especially the elderly – at risk.

Maybe my dream was related to that. Although we’re not in lockdown the way we were in 2020, or as cautiously optimistic as we were in 2021 – thanks to the vaccine, but also being wary of the Delta variance – we’ve still got concerns about COVID in 2022, especially due to the contagiousness of Omicron.

In a way, COVID precautions make me think of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” and I find myself wondering what’s too much or too little, and what would be just right. My husband and I aren’t isolating the way we were at first, but we’re not signing up for any large group gatherings, either. We’ve gotten together with a small group of friends, and have done a bit of traveling to see out-of-state family members. I still carry a mask with me at all times, but don’t wear it as often or in as many places as I originally did.

I’m going to assume that my dream was a warning and a reminder of several things. One is that I still need to be vigilant and take common-sense precautions, including keeping myself and my environment clean and sanitized. Another is that I’ve missed being able to get together freely with family and friends, and I’m grateful we now can, as long as we are careful when we do. And finally, that doing housework can be easy and effortless – but only in my dreams.

January 21, 2022
©Betty Liedtke, 2022

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