I was driving to a destination that I’d traveled to many times before. As my exit approaches, I realize that I’m in the furthest lane away. I start to speed up, but I don’t make it over in time. I miss my exit.

Feeling deflated, I get off at the next exit. Here, I learn that there is no re-entry back on the road that I traveled. The only way to get back to my desired destination is by plane. I wait for what seems to be a long time, until the plane has enough passengers to justify a trip.

Eventually, we start boarding and I begin to anticipate being back at the familiar destination; looking beyond the poor conditions of the plane, and the strangers that were traveling with me.

Something is off. When I get there, the destination does not “feed” me in the way that I once remembered. It seems like a strange land that I am no longer apart of. I want to celebrate with old friends and acquaintances, but it no longer resonates with me. Everything seems forced. Maybe it was meant for me to miss that exit?

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Context: This dream greeted me moments before writing today. What does it mean to you?

My loose interpretation is that it may be difficult to take a new or unfamiliar path. When we move beyond a familiar “exit”, there may still be a deep desire to go back. Once we’ve passed a certain point, we can “go back”, but it won’t be the same and may come with sacrifices. Missing an exit, may be an invitation to explore a new destination.