For many years, I was plagued by a recurring dream that seemed to follow me from my teens through my 30s. In this dream, there was a hidden basement beneath the basement of my childhood home. It was a dark, cramped space with a dirt floor, filled with unsettling items like books, skeletons, and other dark objects. The dream always left me feeling confused, sad, and uncomfortable, with no clear explanation for its origin.

I never shared this dream with anyone, but it continued to haunt me throughout my life. Sometimes, I would find myself able to access this hidden basement from various entry points like the front steps of our home or the doorway in my downstairs bathroom. But the contents of the space always remained the same – until recently.

In my most recent dream, everything changed. My mom and sister appeared, leading me to the hidden space under the stairs. To my surprise, the once dark and cramped basement had transformed into a bright, expansive area with high ceilings, painted white, and filled with happy people, greenery, and fresh produce. It was like a beautiful superstore, a stark contrast to the eerie space I had known before.

This transformation came after a painful confrontation with my parents, which revealed deep-seated issues that had been hidden beneath the surface for so long. It was a realization that there was more to my family dynamic than what met the eye, and it was time to confront and heal these hidden wounds.

Now, I understand that the recurring dream was a manifestation of my unconscious mind trying to bring these buried emotions to light. It was a call to acknowledge and heal the pain and trauma that had been lingering within me for so long. My journey towards healing involves embracing my past, nurturing myself, and learning to mother my own inner child. This is the most important work I can do – to love and care for myself, and in turn, extend that love to my child and to others around me.