Only a Dream
Have you ever had a dream so vivid and so real that it had scents and sights and sounds? Colors and textures and even the kiss of sunshine and a soft breeze blowing on your face? Have you ever had a dream so real you find yourself wondering if maybe it’s really a memory? I had a dream like that Sunday morning.
Despite the fresh breeze and the wonderful pine-scented air, the crunch of dry grass beneath my feet and the smoky smell of fall in the air, I know I was only dreaming. The colors were vivid. The golden, orange, and brown leaves on the maple trees were gorgeous. The hill I climbed was steep and I was breathing hard. The air was cool and clean and crisp. I turned and enjoyed a panoramic view of the countryside. I was alone.
My eyes traced the path I had walked along the river, across the wide, winding meadow and up the hill to the base of the trees. That’s when I noticed the woman not ten feet from me. I was too startled to speak. How could I have not seen her approaching? And why was she dressed so inapproriately?
Her hair was like sunshine, golden with brilliant glints of red and it cascaded past her shoulders. Her eyes were as blue as the sky. It was her dress that caught my attention though. Radiant and white it shimmered around her like no cloth I had ever seen. She came up to me with a smile on her face and knelt by my side. That’s when I realized I was lying down. She put her hands on my shoulders and helped me up.
Neither of us spoke as we turned to walk up the hill together. My steps felt lighter than air. I looked down and saw my body below me on the ground. I stopped and looked at the woman beside me. Only then did I notice her wings.
We stood side-by-side, this angel and I, several feet above the ground. Still I didn’t speak, but I turned back toward my body. The angel held my arm. “Come,” she said. “Jesus is waiting.”
I wanted to go with her, but I couldn’t leave my body. “I can’t be dead. Charley will be upset.”
“He isn’t your problem anymore,” the angel said.
“But I love him,” I told her. “I can’t stand the thought of his pain.”
Again the angel said, “Jesus is waiting.”
I started to go with her, then stopped again. “I want to see Jesus,” I said. “But I am not ready to be dead yet.”
And suddenly I was sitting in my bed. I could still smell the meadow and feel the sunshine on my face — as real as a memory. But it can’t be a memory because if it were, I would be dead, wouldn’t I?
30 Comments
What a story! Very vividly written. It reminds me of a story my aunt told me when she thinks she died of typhus after the war.
Kay — it was very vivid and I was upset for most of the rest of the day.
Those dreams that seem so real.. I really don’t wanna have them. When they’re too good, I want it to happen and I wonder why it doesn’t happen. It’s somewhere in my subconscious. When it’s a bad dream.. well, who likes bad dreams.
You wrote this? If so, it is beautifully written. I feel like I was there, I could even feel goosebumps. I wonder what your dream means.
HalfCrazy — yes, and I am not certain whether this was a good or a bad dream.
I think the meadow is the give away- it might have been a memory returning in a dream, but what you saw as an angel was actually a sheep and that buoyant sense of weightlessness was watching your step. It’s possible.
Doug — yeah, there are lot’s of sheep with curly red hair and bright blue eyes.
Was this a real dream? If not, you sure wrote it vividly. And once you finish your book, I´ll be in line… 🙂
Betty — yes, it was a real dream. I am still finding it a little disturbing.
Wow. That is some dream.
But will we still get out of breath walking up a hill in heaven? Bummer!
Linda — I was out of breath before I died, not after.
This gave me chills!
Mama Zen — me, too — and it left me with a migraine. I was seriously in need of sleep and yet afraid to do so.
That at least was a nice dream. The one I had in Egypt was that I found the grave of my son and only one foot stuck out. I was so worried that I called him to see if everything was OK. I told him what I had dreamed and you know what he asked me ?
“Was it my left or my right foot” !!
Gattina — that would be a disturbing dream and I know why you called — I love your son’s question though. It is likely what I would have asked.
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I love it, Quilly! 🙂 Don’t you just love these kind of dreams! I always try to dream them over again. Sometimes I do.
It seemed very true. If it were then would be concerned about the role and identity of the real ‘Charley’ in your life. Charlene (inner self)? Charley who played a trumpet solo on Watermelon Man?
Too bad you didn’t have it earlier back in my day of attempting to interpret dreams. I even studied for the is aborted endeavor. Your library may have the book I used, “The Watkins dictionary of Dreams.” I may take this back up when my retired life becomes more sedentary in nature. I.e. not able to golf, drive, and can get my office cleaned up again. 🙂
http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/search/label/Dreams
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Jim — I am pondering the meaning of the dream. I don’t know that I want a Joseph. The dream scared me.
Very fascinating. I’m sure it was a huge dilemma for you. And I sure can see why you would be scared. That would be a very freaky dream to have. What’s the scripture themes going on in church right now? Have you by any chance been discussing our attachment to the human things and people we love and how hard it is to put god and Jesus first?
Nessa — yes, as a matter of fact ….
Great description of what sounds like a disturbing dream. Maybe your subconscious is playing with the idea of whether you are putting Amoeba on a pedestal more than you should? (Of course we all know he is a good looking, sweet, loving, trumpet playing saint) . . but it is a thought.
The most difficult dreams for me have been ones involving my children needing me and me not being able to get to them. Only as they have gotten older and I’ve become more spiritually mature have I been able to ‘release them’ to the Lord. After all, I only hold them lightly in trust for His purposes, right?
Don’t be afraid to sleep again. Fear does NOT come from the Lord. <3 <3
Kelley — believe me, Amoeba’s pedestal isn’t as shiny here at home as it is on the net. I think he’s wonderful but far from perfect. I think it is, as Nessa said, part of our putting Jesus first studies. And I am sleeping just fine. It isn’t fear of dying that kept me awake. It was fear of having that dream again. The angel was beautiful, but she was also quite terrifying.
You do know that the majority of the times angels appear in the Scriptures, the first thing they say is “Do not be afraid!” Ha ha…so perhaps your healthy respect for them is right on target!
Your study sounds fascinating.
Smiles, k
Unreal…and yet so real. Amazing!
Melissa — perhaps it seems real because it was ….?
Scary!
Winifred — the angel scared me. She seemed without compassion and quite fierce.
Dreams? What are those things? I have nightmares from driving through Tijuana, where people sit on the concrete dividers between the freeway lanes. Great piece of writing. Does it mean anything? I hated psychology in school and think Freud was a nutcase so to me, it meant you had one too many beers and slices of pizza before you went to bed. You should know I would say something like that.
Gary — I think it means my acid reflux is acting up again. Too much coffee.
If an angel comes for ME and tells me Jesus is WAITING, there is NO WAY I am turning back!!! NOT a CHANCE!!! I love my life… but … no.
Melli — if Jesus had come there wouldn’t have been an issue. That angel was beautiful but there was something truly terrifying about her.
That is a frightening dream. Or reality.
Are you in need of a sleep apnea mask?
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