Visit from RJ

Date: 1/22/2024

RJ is coming to visit. (Rarely "grandpa", just "RJ".) I am worried he will judge our garden, a little behind now, with a row of veggies and a row of pumpkins just coming up and a little soggy. We planted the entire lower field but that was a mistake. Too wet. Soil is good though, nicely ploughed. He is wearing a suit, a dapper, shiny, blue-grey number with a small flash of creamy white popping up from the breast pocket. He is thinner (fit) and perhaps taller than last time I saw him, lost his muscle bulk. We walk the neighbourhood, moving East, with G and the kids, past the lakes to the newer developments on 9th. G is leading, talking away. RJ has his arm around my waste. He is warm and soft and I feel his love like a small child. G is explaining how rich people elevate the ground with brick courtyards so there's no vegetation and water runs right off their properties. RJ says, if he were rich, he might see the attractiveness of that. We walk through a courtyard between the houses and a seniors' home which rises up around us. I check to see if this is too far for him to walk, but he seems fine. I ask why he is wearing a suit and he says, "because I'm visiting." He remarks, "People today are always buying THINGS." Critical, but not angry. A little sad. A warning from a wise farmer of the Great Depression. We enter a long hallway of offices and a phone is ringing. It's for RJ. He steps inside a small room to answer. Some family drama of second cousins twice removed. I don't want to snoop so we walk a little further to a waiting room. The kids and G sit down. I realize that RJ died in 1993 (1984 actually). Is this his ghost? I ask the kids, "We are walking with RJ, right? You all saw him, right?" J assures me he is here. "Because he died before you were born," I explain. "And I don't want to walk down the hall to check because I'm afraid he will be gone."

AI generated interpretation This dream appears to be a rich and complex narrative that reflects deep emotional connections, concerns, and reflections on familial relationships and the passage of time. The presence of RJ in the dream may symbolize a significant figure in your life, possibly representing wisdom, guidance, or a sense of security and love. The worry about RJ judging the garden may reflect a fear of being evaluated or criticized in some aspect of your life, particularly in areas where you feel a sense of responsibility or investment. The image of RJ in a suit could suggest a sense of formality or authority, highlighting his role as a respected figure. His physical appearance, with a thinner and taller stature, may symbolize change or transformation over time, perhaps suggesting a shift in your perception of this person or the dynamics of your relationship with them. The conversation about rich people elevating the ground with brick courtyards and avoiding vegetation may point to themes of wealth, status, and environmental concerns. RJ's comment on people always buying things may be a reflection on consumerism and materialism in contemporary society, highlighting values or perspectives that he embodies as a wise farmer figure from the past. The encounter with family drama and the realization that RJ passed away in 1993 (or 1984) could represent unresolved emotions or unfinished business related to your relationship with this person or your family history. The fear of RJ disappearing or being a ghost may suggest a fear of losing connection with significant figures from the past or a sense of longing for their presence and guidance. Overall, this dream seems to tap into themes of nostalgia, loss, intergenerational wisdom, and the complexities of family relationships. It may be reflecting a need to come to terms with the past, reconcile conflicting emotions, and find a sense of continuity and connection across generations.