I had one of those dreams last night that was so real I didn’t want to wake up. I was sitting at my dining room table working on my laptop when before my eyes my stepdad appeared in the room. He smiled. I yelled to Curtis down the hall that I was hallucinating and he laughed, “What about?”
I got up and walked over. Ken said, “Hi, Wendy love.” I could smell his cologne and he embraced me. It was the greatest hug I have ever had – dream or not. I could feel his warmth. I could feel his heart beating. I could hear his breath. He looked healthy, full faced and not they way I saw him last riddled with cancer. I asked him, “How are you?” not knowing what else to say to a hallucination.
He responded, “I am OK. Tell your mother that I am OK.” And then he laughed warmly.
Curtis walked in and asked me what I was doing. Because Ken was my hallucination, Curtis only saw his wife standing in the middle of the room with her arms around air and smiling into empty space. Curtis again asked me what I was doing. I repeated, “I am hallucinating that Ken is right here in our dining room.” And as I patted the imaginary Ken’s chest, “I can smell, feel, and hear him!”
Curtis shrugged and walked out. Ken smiled and once more repeated, “I am OK” and left as quickly as he appeared.
I suppose that dream ended – or another that I don’t remember started. But I woke up that morning weeping and thankful for such a vivid and real dream. If only for a few brief seconds… If only a figment of my imagination…I got to see my stepdad again. I only wish I could have told him mom was OK too.
A very powerful post. You are lucky to have experienced such a wonderful dream.
ReplyDeleteDina