In Search of Authenticity Within Norms
(Mitra’s Dream and the Struggle Between Conformity and Freedom)
🌙 The Dream
In her dream, Mitra finds herself in Nahid’s parental home (a relative of hers). Several family members are present, including her mother, who appears younger than she is in reality. Nahid’s sister, in a soft voice among the gathering, reveals that she is divorced and that the custody of her child, Hani, has gone to her ex-husband, because Hani chose this herself—she prefers her aunts on her father’s side. The sister adds that, to fill this void, she has adopted a boy from an orphanage and named him “Ani,” which echoes “Hani.” The new child is beautiful, but everything remains tinged with sadness.
Mitra wants to persuade Nahid not to leave and insists she shouldn’t abandon her sister in this situation. Nahid responds that she left her own husband alone last night and must return to him tonight.
The dream then shifts. Mitra is now in an unfamiliar house and sees one of her uncles, who, although unmarried in reality, has a wife and two small children in the dream. He shows them intense love and affection.
🧠 Dream Analysis: When Commitment and Personal Choices Collide
On the surface, this dream seems to recount a series of family events—divorce, child separation, adoption, and dissatisfaction. But at its core, it tells of the internal struggle between two fundamental human needs:
On one hand, the desire for loyalty, commitment, and conformity to the expectations of others; on the other, the need for independence, self-determination, and authentic growth.
🏠 Return to the Parental Home
The parental home in dreams symbolizes the past, memories, roots, and values ingrained since childhood. The youthful mother embodies an idealized vision of security and support—a nostalgic version of life that the dreamer might currently long for. Yet, this familiar space can also represent the pressures and expectations of family.
💔 Divorce and Separation from the Child
The story of divorce and losing custody of a child reflects an emotional wound. The fact that the child herself chooses her paternal family touches on deep fears: fear of rejection, fear of losing connection with loved ones, or anxiety that “not being enough” may drive people away. Adopting a new boy from the orphanage is telling in this context—a subconscious attempt to fill a void, but with a sense of inauthenticity. No matter how lovely the new child may be, he cannot replace that primary, deep bond.
🚪 The Decision to Stay or Leave
At one point, Mitra urges Nahid to stay and not abandon her sister. But Nahid refers to her own commitment to her husband. This simple exchange mirrors an inner conflict: Should we attend to the needs of others, or remain devoted to our obligations in another relationship? This tension between self-sacrifice and self-interest is one many of us face daily.
👨👧👦 The Unmarried Uncle Who Finds Family
In the dream’s final scene, a symbolic figure of hope emerges: an uncle who is alone in waking life but has, in the dream, a family—a father who showers his children with love. This image, symbolic in its essence, says that even those who may have strayed from tradition or what is socially accepted can, in an alternative future, experience genuine family and fulfillment. The dream hints: there is another way.
🧩 Conclusion: Meaning Must Be Created, Not Just Found
Mitra’s dream shows that at certain life junctures, we grapple with this question:
Should we follow the path others have mapped out for us, or forge our own?
Loss, separation, and disappointment are painful—yet the dream holds an answer, too. Images of love, choice, and the possibility of creating something original and meaningful—even in a world that doesn’t always go as expected—are evident.
The solution lies neither in fleeing commitment nor in denying one’s own needs, but in finding a dynamic balance between loyalty to oneself and connection with others. Meaning is not preordained; it must be shaped through conscious choice, self-love, and the courage to face reality head-on.
