It has been so many years since I last sat any exam paper. To this day I still dream that I have not made any preparation for my upcoming exam which is in a month’s time. I have barely touched the book. I wake up distressed.
Meaning of Dreams
There have been several theories expounded on the meaning of dreams. Sigmund Freud’s view is that dreams are an imagery of a wish or impulse from childhood that has been repressed. A theory proposed by Harvard University psychiatrists John Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley, states that dreams don’t actually mean anything. They are merely electrical brain impulses that pull random thoughts and imagery from our memories.
But these theories don’t explain my recurrent dream of lack of preparation for an exam. I have always prepared way ahead for exams.
In Life, Everyone has a Different Question Paper
Dreams are very different from life. In life, everyone has a different question paper. No one’s life is identical to that of another person’s. Our lived experiences reflect our responses to situations that arise. This is different person to person, and even different for the same person, depending on his mood. We learn from our own experiences, and also from the experiences of others, so that we may respond differently the next time we encounter a similar situation. In other words, as all of us have different question papers, our answers will be different. Our lives will be lived out differently.
Greater Wisdom with Aging
As we age, and hopefully gain wisdom, we should learn to respond to situations more judiciously, less combatively, and in a more kindly fashion. Be more accepting of other’s views. Don’t always think negatively of others, that every situation is a worst case scenario. Read When angry count to 10, when very angry count to 100
Family relationships are even more important than casual relationships. A quarrel with a family member may never be completely soothed over, never completely forgiven and forgotten. It can split a family apart. I am not referring to how you deal with an addicted gambler, alcoholic, narcotic abuser, etc. Such people require professional help.
Treat Difficult Situations like an Exam Question
Whenever difficult situations arise, and you anticipate contentious repercussions, remember to ask yourself “how do I deal with this issue?” Treat it like an exam question. Plan your answer. Don’t jump in and say the first hurtful and angry thing that comes into your head. Treat it like an exam paper. However, in an exam, everyone has the same question paper. But in life, everyone has a different question paper.
lingsinglin
Dr Ling Sing Lin is a medical doctor by training. She worked in MOH HQ for many years, in policy making and administrative positions, until her retirement.
