Wednesday, 23 February 2022

A matter of life and death


For the last three nights I have been dreaming that I am due to visit my father, who - in the dream - lives in some large institution not very far away. The dreams end with a big, white, 1940s coach pulling up and it has the registration plate, 'RAF' with no numbers. People tell me to hurry and get on board, because it will leave soon and I may miss it. So far I have let it go on its way without me.

I will never forget a dream told to me by a school friend when I was young. My friend's father had recently died and he was quite ill with a fever at one point. During the night he had an out of body experience when he hovered over his own sleeping form at ceiling height, and as he looked down he heard his father encouraging him to keep going upwards.

"Go on son. You can do it. Just a couple more steps..."

He knew he was on a threshold which, once crossed, would not allow a return.

All very Powell and Pressburger.

14 comments:

  1. My son is a dreamer - and he keeps a dream diary so that he can jot them down before he forgets them.

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    1. I once kept a notebook by the bed and wrote down a particular dream before I properly woke up. In the morning it made no sense whatsoever.

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  2. Some dreams are very foreboding.

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  3. I wonder where the dream would lead?
    I had a waking dream of my late Mountain Man about a ear after he left...standing in a doorway blocking my way and telling me Go Back, it's not your turn. Very scary but reassuring

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  4. Unusual to have a recurring dream three nights on the trot. I put it down to the decluttering.

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  5. Don't get on the bus, Tom. We would miss you.

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  6. ditto, Tom: do not get on the bus - just yet. You have lots more time to be here. I've personally had a few very strange incidents after someone close to me has died; but never had anything like being directed to specifically take any action. Whew!

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    1. Both my parents came to visit me in the flesh after they died.

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  7. I wonder why I do not remember dreams, which I know I have.

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