Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The power of dreams

This picture was taken decades ago, I can't even remember when, except that I lived in Boulder when my mom came to visit me. We were up at Brainard Lake looking at the mountains when this picture was taken. Now I am older than my mom was in this picture. I still remember some stranger taking the picture at my behest, and this is all I have of that day.

Last night, however, I dreamed of Mama, my dad, and other family members. We were all of different ages than reality would have allowed. In the dream, I was about the age I am in this picture, but Mama was red-headed like she was in her youth, Daddy was strong and vigorous. We were thinking of purchasing a house, and I can remember walking on white carpets and looking out windows at a beautiful seascape, while we chatted about the different uses we could apply to each of the rooms.

When I woke this morning, it was as if we had just been together: my parents, my sister Norma Jean, and me, all in this dream house. Even now, a few hours later, I can still feel the strong presence of my parents. Sometimes I wonder what is real. The solidity of the brilliantly colored dream felt every bit as real as me sitting here writing on my laptop.
:-)

20 comments:

  1. I love it when I can dream and spend time with my family members, especially the dreams of those who have passed, it's like cheating..
    Sometimes the dreams are so vivid, I, like you, remember the details when I awake, and carry their presence with me all through the day.
    I love this picture of you and your mum, you both look happy, and you have changed very little, still active and with a lovely smile :)
    Good memories, it's lovely to hold onto them..

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  2. I wish I did dream about my parents but I NEVER do. I think I'd feel the same way as you if I did. Enjoy your day with the lovely memories of your sweet dreams....

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  3. I have had dreams like this, and I believe now that it wasn't a dream...but a visit. I believe that the spiritual world is closer than we imagine and that all that separates us, is sight and sound. When those barriers are down, we are able to visit and commune.

    How wonderful for you!

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  4. Wherever it comes from, a dream or an old picture, you were given a gift of closeness to loved ones. I would hang on to the close feeling for as many days as you want it. It obviously is a good thing for you.

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  5. I don't think I've ever known anyone with as vivid dreams as you have. If they're good dreams I would think it would be a wonderful experience. I'm not much of a dreamer and certainly not in color. I'm glad your visit was good. I think I'd like to visit my parents but that's never happened.

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  6. Hang on to those dreams. It is a nice way to revisit the memories. Occasionally I have a dream so vivid it is like it really happened then later on I have a hard time remembering the real stuff from the dream stuff.

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  7. I think dreams are often our way of visiting those who've gone before. Obviously we can't visit them in our corporeal form so our souls take flight after we go to sleep. I may be wrong, but I take comfort from that belief.

    I love the picture:)

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  8. Dreams like that are wonderful. For me, they are of times as a youth, not a teenager. Perhaps, it's part of the romanticism of those times.

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  9. I've had those sorts of dreams and wonder the same thing. It always feels so real, and leaves such feelings of peace afterwards. A little visit from those that are on the other side of the veil, maybe.

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  10. What a gift those dreams are. Don't you wish we could hang on to the threads? I have a few dreams that stay with me forever and I think they keep us tied, in some inexplicable way that is VERY real, to those we have lost. So glad you got to have a visit, as it were. Revel in the warmth and love and thanks for being willing to share it. Love to you, dear DJan friend.

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  11. I love dreams that make you feel all warm and fuzzy..I have them sometimes..it is always the same, all my old dogs come to visit..young and healthy and wanting some lovin'..I hate the waking up part. I would just as soon keep on dreaming sometimes. I don't dream about people very much at all, if I do ..It is in a conflict..never happy, warm and fuzzy..strange isn't it..oh well you can't control your dreams or your nightmares:)

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  12. I really do think they have come to visit when this happens to me.

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  13. What a lovely dream family reunion. I have very vivid dreams but rarely have more than one person I know/knew at a time involved. I think dreams are a way to sort through memories, sort of like going through an old photo album.

    You asked how long I have been a shutter bug. I got my first SLR in the late seventies. For a long time I had two of them, one loaded with color slide film the other with B/W. I put together a lot of slide shows for my work. It was a very expensive hobby back then and I let it go for awhile.

    I got back into photography when I started my blogs last year. I have older photos from another digital camera and some that I have scanned but they are all in one file that was transferred from an older computer. The photos in my post really are from the eighth folder.

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  14. I had vivid dreams of my father and mother a few days after each had passed, the dreams gave me great comfort each time. They were full of odd happenings with deep meaning for me!
    ♥...Wanda

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  15. I dream about my mother quite often, but not about my father, and I am not sure why – maybe because he rarely talked to me. I enjoy these dreams and when I am with my mom we speak French in my dream. When I wake up I am so happy to have talked with her.

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  16. Lucky you...you still can go with the rest of your family in dreamland. When Dad passed away, I am waiting for him to be in my dreams but until now, he is a no show. I thought that Mom and Dad were still embracing and catching up, sure they have missed each other.

    AL

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  17. I often read that if you have a very vivid, colorful dream and a presence after a dream it is actually a visit from them from the other side..
    isn't that a wonderful concept? After all, perhaps heaven is like that when you get there...if you can imagine being anywhere with their spirits you can make it instantly so.....

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  18. That's a great picture of you and Mom.

    Unfortunately I hardly ever dream of anything that is not stressful. I will wake up and feel totally exhausted from struggling with something in my dreams. I hardly ever remember what it was that was so upsetting, either. I guess not everyone has pleasant dreams. I would love to see Mom and Dad, though.

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  19. Oh I am so glad you posted this!!! I too feel the same way after I have a dream about my dad!! I haven't had a dream about my mom is many many years and I so want to because I miss her so much!! Just being with them in dreams is some wonderful for me!! I love that you feel like I do!!

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  20. I never have those kinds of dreams. I have awake memories, but never in dreams. Lucky you.

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