Dreaming Reality

some pink flowers

At last.
He appeared in my dreams.
The moment I saw him, I knew I was dreaming. I told myself, "Do not wake up! Focus on a detail, and hold on."
I focused on his eyes.
His loving eyes, looked right in to mine.

some pink flowers

He was standing in the outdoor hallway of my childhood school. Aren't dreams like that… taking us to places in our past for a reason we do not understand. I thought about my childhood school searching for the symbolism it might bring to my dream. Childhood School = A Beginning Place of Knowledge… gained wisdom; That symbolism held truth for me.

He was as I remember him: In his wrangler jeans, a plaid, button-down shirt and his sideways grin. He looked younger by ten years or so, his white hair thicker then. He was my dad.. every cell vibrant, real and alive.

I walked up to him, and consciously aware that I was dreaming, told myself to feel, to breath, to take every ounce of this moment in… to let it become me. I remember thinking in my dream: This is the moment you have been waiting for, to see him in your dreams, stay focused. I knew that we would embrace, I knew I would feel my dad's arms around me and I told myself, "You will not wake up, you will be present within your dream…open your senses to this moment." and miraculously I did.

some pink flowers 

I said, "Hi Dad," then we embraced. I felt his body, sensed him, smelled him, it was his healed body, and I was awed by the feeling of realness. I soaked it in as pure gift.
I asked him how he was? What was it like…

He smiled, and said he was happy, that it was good, that all was well.

I told him I was glad for that.

We never stopped looking into each other's eyes. I told him he looked good, alive… well. He nodded, "I am."

I tried not to cry. I was so very happy.

some pink flowers with a rabbit

Leaning in I asked him, "Is there anything I should know? Is there anything I should be doing?"

He said,"Pray for our country, it needs prayer to stay on track." I told him I would; He repeated, "Pray, prayer brings guidance."

Then we hugged tightly, I felt his strong gentle hands on my back, and he kissed my cheek. He felt warm.

I remember feeling my dream starting to move without me. I saw my body turn towards the door in the school hallway. I knew that if I turned my dream would change. I turned towards the door, and as my hand touched the door handle I knew my dad was no longer behind me. I turned around and he was gone.

a pink flower

Dreams. They are worth the wait.

I woke up and the world looked differently.

We are not alone. Even when we doubt that truth. Even when there is nothing around to show us the way, or even lend us a hand… we are not alone.



Comments

89 responses to “Dreaming Reality”

  1. I am so happy you had your dream. 🙂 Thank-you for sharing it.
    It’s so great you got to be so aware in your dream too, lucid. I have had a couple dreams of people and pets passed on and knew they were deceased but wasn’t really aware I was dreaming. If I had been as aware as you I’d have asked questions too. 🙂
    smiles from me.

  2. welltraveled

    What a blessed dream…

  3. Patricia

    Wow! That really was your father. My mother died 32 years ago (when I was 10) and I have had dreams of her and have felt her presence. One time I awoke in the middle of the night and heard a musical christmas card playing silent night (her favorite xmas song) in the livingroom. When I walked in the room there was a bright light. I didn’t feel scared, but at peace and could sense she was there. I was going through a hard time in my life and I think she just wanted to tell me everything was ok. And it was!

  4. How beautiful. I’m so happy to hear of such a beautiful, needed dream.
    P.S. And I saw the rabbit. I take that as a good omen.
    Annie of The Bunny Bungalow

  5. My mother died when I was 17 and she is always with me. I wish that I had been old enough to value her visit to me as you did. I was too young and afraid. When I think that I am alone she gently reminds me of her presence. I have learnt to tread softly through my dreams as a result.
    W B Yeats wrote;
    Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
    Enwrought with golden and silver light,
    The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
    Of night and light and the half light,
    I would spread the cloths under your feet:
    But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
    I have spread my dreams under your feet;
    Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
    Thank you as always for your beauty and gentleness in the life you share with us.

  6. such comfort! such mystery. who knows what dreams may come…

  7. what a post full of hope … you are right , we are never alone

  8. michellleb.

    Corey, I too have had a similar experience/dream with my father. I was in Georgia when he died in Pennsylvania and always felt guilty about not being there. He came to me and told that he was good, no longer in pain, and it was okay that I could not be there. That is not how he wanted me to remember him.
    Thanks for sharing your dream with us.
    michelleb.

  9. Dreams and prayer….what would our world be like without them??? Thankful that you had your dream.

  10. Christine

    i am so touched by this and so moved that you were able to see him so clearly. i don’t remember having dreams about seeing my father but it was so long ago and i was too young to be in a place to realize the gift.
    thank you again for sharing….you open up doors.
    Christine

  11. Lovely. I am so happy for you that you got to *see* your Dad again 🙂

  12. I’ve always felt I’m not alone in my path….

  13. Thank you Corey…

  14. Beautiful, Corey.
    I’m so happy for you.
    I know the sun shines a little brighter for you today, and you breathe easier. He is still there, and always will be..
    hugs
    xx

  15. Oh Corey… I’m so happy for you my dear.
    Love*

  16. love corey…love…
    nancyxx

  17. Oh I was terribly moved by this post. I think it’s lovely that you were able to have that connection.
    bright blessings

  18. What a beautiful experience. One you will cherish always. Thank you for sharing it with us.

  19. How wonderful, Corey, and so amazing that you were able to stay in a conscious dream state so that you could really experience your Dad so fully!

  20. WOW!!!! What a blessing! I am thrilled for you.

  21. dreams….sometimes (blessedly)are mail from
    heaven.
    Yours was extra special delivery.
    Missy from the bayou

  22. Oh such Joy! I’m so glad that he came to see you and that you wrote about it. I don’t think that I will ever forget when my Grandfather bought my Grandmother to see me. It feels me with so much love and peace when I think about it. They’re never to far from us.

  23. Paris Parfait

    Am happy to read of this wonderful, reassuring dream, Corey. xo

  24. I am so happy you were able to see your dad again, to talk to him and hold him. That dream was a gift to keep in your heart until you stand beside him once again.

  25. what a sweet dream.. to see your father again even in a dream is the greatest feeling.. thank you for sharing this dream..
    I wish I could dream of my step mom.. I miss her dearly..
    today I went to visit her house.. see her old bedroom and the feeling as if, she is still alive.. and that too make me smile.. coz I know she is always with me..

  26. Corey.. I love the story of your dream… having lost my dad almost 33-years ago now (he was only 46), I can truthfully say I know exactly how you feel… even after all these years, I often wish he were still here to give me a hug and reassurance in troubled times.
    blessings. Dixie

  27. Amen.

  28. And that is faith Corey, that is faith. I am so glad that you were rewarded with this wonderful dream.
    – Suzanne

  29. Thank you for sharing this!
    Rabenfrau

  30. Your story of meeting your Dad in your dreams touched me deeply. When my Dad died I was 5 months pregnant and his death was very sudden (blood clot in the days before blood thinners – from being struck by a motorcycle and ignoring a huge bruise and the doctor’s orders to stay in bed until it was gone). One night I dreamt that I got on the city bus (the last, turn-around, stop was at the foot of the hill we lived on) and there, sitting in the front seat was my Dad. His hands were crossed, as they always were when they weren’t holding a book, and he smiled, but disappeared when I tried to speak to him. I had several other dreams about him and felt they were his way of comforting me. Thanks for telling of your dream – it confirmed my thoughts completely.

  31. What a deeply moving, heartfelt post. Love is truly eternal.
    Marilyn (in Dallas)

  32. Corey, what a beautiful dream…!! I can clearly see you needed that and it brought you some peace to your healing heart!!
    Isabel

  33. Michelle McAvoy

    Weeping…
    I long for that dream…
    It’s been so long…perhaps I have lost a little faith.
    I need the reassurance and through your post, pray that it will happen for me too!
    I am so happy for you Corey. I know that you have been waiting patiently!

  34. Jeanette M.

    When you are aware the person has passed and is “visiting” you, it is not a dream. It is, indeed, a visit. I am very happy for you and I will take his advice and pray for our country to find its way.

  35. Very happy for you and the dream. Dads are pretty awesome and to have him with you is perfect.
    Also loved the story about FH eating and you grossing out!

  36. I am very happy for you to have had that special dream, Corey. It must be deeply satisfying to both know that he is well and to feel that you are not alone.

  37. Oh Corey – this is the moment you told us you’d be hoping and waiting for… and I am so happy to hear it is now yours! Happy tears streaming down my cheeks for you this morning, dear Corey!

  38. What a touching description! My own father has been dead four years now, my mother for more than a decade. Its wonderfully comforting to dream about them, see their faces and remember….
    Ali @ A Cosy Life

  39. I am glad you got to see your dad again and that he looked well and good. Keep that memory of him in your heart always.

  40. I knew with the first sentence of your post you were talking about your Dad. I believe you were at your school because in a way you were becoming “Daddy’s little girl” again…you felt protected, warm and loved. Didn’t we all feel that from our Dads?

  41. why oh why did i have to have already done my eye makeup before reading your post today!?
    xo

  42. Corey,
    What an amazing dream you had. As soon as I started reading I knew it was about your Dad. I am amazed at how it was so real for you. That is just incredible, and it gave me chills.

  43. Corey, what a beautiful post! I am so happy for you…I know about that waiting for a dream, some contact, with the one you love. My brother died at the young age of 45 and I used to pray and pray for a dream. One night I dreamed of my brother. We were dancing, twirling in a waltz. It was so real and when I woke I was smiling. Pure joy. I knew he had come to me and I felt at peace.
    Bless you. Your Dad is with you.

  44. I think this is the most wonderful dream I’ve ever heard.
    In my dreams, usually I’ve lost something or have had something taken from me and I spend a lot of time trying to find what I’ve lost or chasing after the thief. Also, my dreams mutate from one unlikely scenario to another. Six months or so ago, I had my first dream where I could fly (I’d like to do that again).
    Thank you for sharing your dream, Corey. Maybe my mind will take the suggestion and bring me a dream with comfort and peace and guadance.

  45. praising God for your dream gift

  46. It is hard to type when I can’t keep the tears out of my eyes. This was so incredibly beautiful. And to think you were delivered such an important message from your father in such an intimate and precious way. God Bless. Us all.

  47. I am so happy for you Corey! You knew it would happen and it did, and what a gift of a dream it was. You amaze me in your writing and your ability to share…
    Thank you, Love Emma x

  48. I remember when I first dreamed about my beloveded Mother In Law after her death, it felt like being embraced by light and so comforting – just knowing that she is still with us.
    Corey, your Father has never left you, he’s just in a different space…
    Blessings and kisses!
    Ulla

  49. Antigona

    I knew he would come to you in your dreams…

  50. I agree Corey, we are not alone.
    Thanks for reminding us and thank you for sharing such an intimate moment of your life.

  51. I wait to meet my grandma in this way. I would ask her the same question. I just lost her a few weeks ago.

  52. One of your most beautiful postings.
    It deeply touched my heart.
    May all our loved ones in Heaven be forever in Paradise as they claim it is.
    Those who live forever in our hearts are never far away.
    Love Jeanne ^j^

  53. peg karrasch

    I’m so happy for you. It was real. This has happened to me twice..once my mother visited and once my father in law. Each was so detailed and real. It is such a comfort. PEggy from PA

  54. While i was livin in Deuil-la-Barre my grandmother passed away. She was a very godly wonderful woman.
    After i returned to France (i was able to go home for the funeral), i had a dream that i met her in the attic (why? who knows). She hugged me and told me that she was ok, that she had met Jesus and not to worry about her or be too sad – she was happy..more than happy.
    i shared that with my Mom who was still so very sad..and it helped…
    i’m so glad you had a dream/vision with your dad…
    hugs
    laura

  55. this was a beautiful post. I needed a little encouragement and your words touched my heart. So happy for you
    love and hugs

  56. Wow Corey,
    I got the goosebumps from that one. I do believe that too! I think people come to us in our dreams. It’s so great that you got to talk to and see your dad.
    Have a wonderful day,
    Rosemary

  57. Corey, Again your fabulous words gave me the shivers!!! What a wonderful dream…this happened to me once but not with a person, my beloved dog visited my dream, I hugged him and could feel his long fur and warm body and I woke up with the most peaceful feeling I’ll never forget…I believe its not just the people we love that watch and wait for us but everything we have loved in our lives find their way back…I hope so anyway..Kay xx

  58. I love this. Thank you so much for sharing. It is a truly powerful and comforting story. I wish you peace.

  59. what a blessed dream!

  60. Oh Corey! I thank God that He gave you this amazing dream. I just knew your dad would come. You wanted him to so badly. It was well worth the wait. Hang onto that. It’s worth more than anything. And thank you for sharing his wisdom with us. I needed that nudge.

  61. Toni Mason

    Thank you for sharing your dream of your Dad, we all miss him so much, I will listen to his advice and pray harder for our country than I have been. Thank you again Corey it was very moving. Love Toni

  62. Annie F.

    Corey –
    Thank you for sharing so much of yourself – it truly gives me strength. My father will be 73 this year and lives in Ireland while we are here in CA so I can relate to many of your struggles with the distance. I know that someday my phonecall will come too and it is a day I dread. A dream is truly the next best thing to being there.

  63. So glad you got your dream Corey! How wonderful…

  64. Kimberly

    Corey this is so true! Blessings, Kimberly

  65. Corey,
    Your dream brought tears to my eyes. How beautiful that you dreamed of your beloved Dad. What a precious gift from God that brought you comfort and guidance.
    Angela

  66. Alena Moss

    Beautiful.
    Corey, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
    I believe that your dad is always always with you.

  67. what a moving dream experience. it really touched my heart. your photography is beautiful, so rich and detailed while maintaining a delicate air. so nice!

  68. I am so, so happy for you Corey. Hold tight to your dream and the memories it brought with it.

  69. Ellen Cassilly

    What a lovely blessed dream. i remember dreaming about my father the night/morning prior to his funeral. It was lovely and comforting. E

  70. I had a very similar dream with my sister – I asked if she was okay and if it was good where she is and she said she was fine and it was good. It gave me great comfort. She comes to me less often than I’d like, but more than I expected. It’s a gift.
    I’m so glad your father visited you. xoxo

  71. Corey, your posts touch me so deeply… This one especially. “Pray. Prayer brings guidance.” I will heed your father’s advice… Thank you for sharing… Donna @ An Enchanted Cottage

  72. I lost my father last year. This was beautiful. Thank you.

  73. Lisa-vet

    Beautiful, Corey. Still with you. God Bless You.

  74. When I read your first words, I was so excited for you. I knew the dream was about your dad. How wonderful that you have had the dream. I find inspiration in it.
    ~elaine~

  75. Its amazing how we’ll connect on different levels wiht loved ones. thank you for sharing your dream with us.

  76. Anyway, wonderful dream! I will try to remember your mindful approach next time Mom is in one of my dreams.
    Kate
    http://stubblejumperscafe.pnn.com

  77. Corey,
    As I was reading your post today, I remembered the day you wrote ‘How are you today’, in which I told you that soon enough you will be having these kind of dreams. I can’t believe it happened so soon. I am glad that you had one. I remembered the dreams I had with both my father and one of my beloved uncles… just two days ago, I held a wonderful conversation with my uncle, in my dreams of course. I woke up with the sun shining brighter.
    I am so happy that you have experienced this. These brief moments with our departed loved ones are the best cure for an aching heart. I know you will treasure this dream for the rest of your life.

  78. I had a dream about my favorite aunt after she died. She was younger as well, full of health and happiness. Maybe we return to a the “body” at the point of our most happiness.

  79. Oh Corey, I’m so very glad for you. I know how much I treasure when my mom has visited in dreams. You’re right, we’re not alone – ever.
    (dreams are the topic for Creative Every Day and I just posted about them earlier tonight – then came here when I couldn’t sleep – funny how things work out sometimes)
    p.s. I’m praying for our country too

  80. M-Noëlle

    Un bien doux rêve …!

  81. Julie Ann

    How wonderful, I am so pleased for you Corey and with your experience comes faith for your readers. I am still awaiting mummy in my dreams since October 2005. I hope and pray that she will come. Excepting the odd nightmare which I discount my moment has not arrived. This renews my hope and faith x

  82. After 46 years I still dream about my Dad and its funny cause there will be things in the dreams that I had completely forgotten… like the monogram on his shirt… I don’t understand much about religion, but I do understand feeling someones love wrapping all around me. Good for you!
    Sweet dreams!
    Your Pal, Billie

  83. Corey, when I clicked on your blog and started to read it yesterday, I knew it was about your dad and that I couldn’t read it yet. I just read it this morning and am glad I waited so I would be able to take my time and cry if I needed to (I did). I miss my dad so much, it’s been almost 11 years. April 13 will be 26 years since my mom died. Thank you so much for sharing your dream and for the beautiful photos you put with it. I am so glad you were able to have such a sweet dream about you and your dad!

  84. What a lovely gift.
    *hug*

  85. Corey, what a bittersweet awakening that must have been. Thanks for sharing.

  86. I am so happy for you. This healing dream… May it truly heal.
    And oh my, what a true and profound suggestion… To pray for our country. -sigh- If we ever needed help, it is now. -repeat sigh-
    Aunt Amelia

  87. I know you have read many congratulations, but I have to add mine. I’ve had many of these “visitation” dreams — I have more beloved people who are dead than who are alive, sad as that sounds. My first was of my daughter. I saw her in her down jacket, on the seashore that we both loved. I said, “So, you’re not dead, after all!” She nodded, and I knew that she was alive (in some way I could not know just yet) and well. What a healing. My most recent one was of/from my mother — and I don’t know what that one means, just yet. So happy for you.

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