Fifth Time In Costa Rica,17

Not a whole lot happened today. The wind has been incredibly fierce, strong and constant since last night. I am told it is unusual to have such wind here in March, but such is climate change, eh? I had a very uneven sleep with intense, real-life dreams. I´ll share the one that stood out the most, and maybe someone can help me interpret it: First of all, I experienced this dream as though it were happening in my waking life. I was in a supermarket and trying to find the exit, given that they were super strict on security and a lot of openings were barricaded, but I did make it out. Then, on the escalator I encountered a woman whom I had known from a panel discussion about human rights, social marginalization, and poverty, that I had participated in. Now, keep in mind that none of this has happened in my waking life. It has all been completely contained in this dream. I couldn´t recall the name of the woman who had coordinated this event, but I remember her face and general appearance as though I have known her for a long time in real life. Same with the woman I met on the escalator. She was black, African-Canadian, middle aged with a very diwtinctive face and features, suggesting the torch singer Lena Horne, but with a darker complexion. She said to me, ¨Hey, it´s you!¨in a very friendly manner. Her name was Susan. She had with her her daughter, a special needs child entering adolescence. We talked for a while about the panel discussion and issues around it, and then she mentioned that now, as during this recent event, she is herself in a very vulnerable state, being homeless right now and staying with her child in a women´s shelter. I also shared with her my own personal experience of homelessness and living between very difficult situations several years ago. It was, on the whole, a positive encounter, with someone I have never known or met in real life, but is just as real in the dream, as though she was someone I know well, like some of my friends who are reading my blog. Please let me know if any of this resonates with you or if you have any ideas or insights. I was awake quite a bit during the night, and following breakfast, I had to go down for a good one and a half hour nap, following a good art session in the breakfast room. I also had some enjoyable chats with a couple from Colorado (he speaks pretty good Spanish and seemed to want to do the whole conversation with me in the Language of Cervantes, and that´s always fine for me. Then I chatted a bit with a couple from New York. All pleasant people. I think the disrupted sleep did put me in a very grumpy mood, and I thought I would cure it with a long walk (it helped) almost to Santa Elena, then some time in cafe Cabure for a brownie with ice cream (and that helped even more!) I was the only customer present for most of the nearly three hours I spent there, and sat on their long balcony enjoying the view of the tropical forest. I also got a lot of art work done. Then, a pleasant woman of about my age appeared and wanted to look at some of my art. She lives in San Jose and is a friend of the Arentinian lady who owns the cafe. She was very friendly and pleasant, and so was her playful little poodle that wanted to eat my shirt! Then she showed me her sketchbook, and what talent! I really felt inspired looking at her work. On my way back from supper at the women´s co-op nearby, where I usually enjoy a cheap casado, two little kids on the trail stopped me to tell me that I remind them of Papa Francisco, the current pope. It was quite funny for me and their moms. Now I´m back at the bed and breakfast staring out at this dazzling golden green light in the foliage as the sun begins its descent. Big hug, big handshake, or big fistbump, or any combination, Gentle Reader, from Monteverde.