Narrowly Dodged the Bullet in Strangely Estranged

That phrase seems to say they did not want the “Dream” to begin. What it sounds like to me is they want to put it off and let their children deal with the mess. Basically they chickened out of their own plan. But they couldn’t admit that. Instead they have a convenient scape goat to blame the dream’s failure upon. Just admit it, you’re happy here and fear the hardship or death that will surely come in the beginning of the “Dream”.