Keep it Brief

So, where did I leave that briefcase?

I lay in bed obscenely early one recent morning trying to remember where I had left my attaché case.

I was so upset. How the hell could I lose something so important?

God knows what I had in there, but it must have been vital or I wouldn’t have put it in the briefcase in the first place. And now it was gone.

It took a few minutes for me to realize that the attaché case I was so attached to didn’t exist, and that it was, in fact, the stuff that dreams are made of.

I haven't worked in an office in years and even then I didn't feel the need to use a briefcase. Why would I dream about one now?

My mother bought me an attaché case for my birthday—or was it Christmas? —many years ago, when I first started working.

It occurs to me that I haven’t laid eyes on that thing in years. I’m reasonably sure that it is somewhere in my house, I’m just not sure where.

But this was not the briefcase in my dream.

I had this delusion a few days ago and it’s still on my mind. I can only recall a few pieces of it, but the briefcase—and my extreme agitation--was a large part of it.

There’s an episode of The Sopranos where Tony is at death’s door after being shot by his senile uncle and dreams that he is a salesman named Kevin Finnerty who has lost his briefcase and wallet.

Just in Case

The briefcase is said to represent Tony's mafia identity, responsibilities, and the weight of his sins.

The dream explores the "other" life Tony could have had, ultimately showing his subconscious refusal to abandon his identity as a mobster.

I’m not a gangster, but this experience caused me a bit of consternation.

I did a little research about lost briefcase dreams, and they usually symbolize anxiety regarding work, missed opportunities, or a loss of control.

Like a wallet or suitcase, a briefcase "contains" who you are in a social or work context. Misplacing it may represent feeling adrift during major life changes, such as a job transition or retirement.

I’m not planning on changing my job--God willing--and I’m looking to retire next year, but the missed opportunity and the loss of control angles both resonate with me.

I spend through far too much of my waking life thinking about what I should’ve done when I was younger, and how there’s nothing I can do about it.

I don’t recall what had gone on during the day that might have inspired this dream, but I was probably agitated about something.

Some interpretations view a briefcase as a "vessel" for a message or blessing. Losing it could represent a fear that your "blessing" or important information has been mishandled or taken by the wrong person.

On the positive side, losing the brief could be a good sign that that you are ready to let go of old burdens, past failures, or outdated professional roles that no longer serve you.

As much as I like that interpretation, it didn’t apply to my circumstances.

I’ve been threatening to declutter my apartment for several years now and I’m going to try to find that briefcase my mother gave me.

I wonder what'll find inside it.