Two dogs, two choices

A dream fragment...

D has adopted two dogs – a mother (or grandmother) and daughter. The daughter is a small mutt, orange in color and frisky. D is holding the older dog. She has fluffy salt and pepper colored fur and is very sedate.. I tell D that if she finds the two dogs too much to deal with, my partner and I will take one. I wonder which one - I think it would be the older dog.

A simple little fragment that  may seem meaningless.Here's what I come up when I look at associations to the dogs and woman in my dream.

Dogs speak about loyalty to me. Mother daughter loyalty here? In my life... I am feeling torn right now, between going to see my mother or my daughters and grandchildren. I have been looking at flights.

Why is D in my dream? She has 3 daughters - perhaps showing me the strength of the pull towards going to see my daughters. D is very family centered and sees her daughters regularly. She has everything she needs at this time in her life – money especially, which allows her to travel and be generous with her family. Money is part of the dilemma for me in making my choice.

Is D that part of me that thinks I can take care of everyone? There is also another voice that knows I can't. In the dream, I choose the older dog. I had intended to go and see my mother at Christmas and was unable to. She is in her mid-nineties - who knows how long she will be with us.

The images in our dreams are very specific. We need to pay attention to the energy that they hold. To access this I could 'become' the older dog (as it is the one I would likely choose), allowing her to flesh out in my imagination, bringing her to life.. Jung called this active imagination. 

She is in D's arms - she needs to be held -  She feels like part husky - independent like my mother. Her eyes are soft and loving. She is quietly vibrant.  I feel very connected to her. I want her in my life.

I could also work with the D in me. I'll leave that for another time. She'll show up again!
Should I go check those flights?

I don't want to give the impression that I have this dream all figured out. Perhaps it is time for a dog to come into my life again? In the dream it is not only me that will take the dog, but my partner and I - we have talked about this. Or perhaps it is time for the energy and qualities of this particular dog to be in my life or be manifest in me? I should also look at other areas in my life where loyalty may be afoot. I try not to tie dreams up in neat little bows. Tomorrow may shed new light on today's analysis.