I had a dream I was being chased by a giraffe. He never caught me though! What does that mean? — Betsy, 25, New Haven, Indiana

Lauri: We often have a menagerie of animals that inhabit our dreams. In waking life, each specific animal has a trait that it’s known for: dogs are loyal, cats are independent, elephants never forget. The characteristics that we project onto animals often appear in our dreams in the form of that animal in order to show us our own actions and behaviors, or to show us how the actions and behaviors of someone else are directly affecting us. That being said, your dream animal is a giraffe. They are best known for the characteristic of a very long neck. Are you putting your neck out for someone? And are you avoiding having to do this? I ask because when we are chased in a dream it can always be connected to running away from an obligation or issue in waking life. The message is that you can’t run from this issue forever. It’s time to make a decision.

Betsy replies: Oh most definitely! I didn’t even think of anything like that! My fiancé and I share his car, and it’s been down and needing a new engine. I’ve been the only one trying to make sure it is fixed, everything short of the financial part, which I’m constantly worried I will have to take care of also. Your interpretation was dead on! Thank you so much.