Daily Prompt: Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
What is the best dream you’ve ever had?
Recount it for us in all its ethereal glory.
If no dream stands out in your memory,
recount your worst nightmare.
Leave no frightening detail out.
Mary Lou was my first good school friend when I was seven. We “hung out” at recess in the school yard and I think we did a lot of giggling.
One day Mary Lou was not at school, and she did not appear the next day either. I missed her. More days went by and at last I asked another girl, “Do you know where Mary Lou went?” And she answered, “Didn’t you know? Mary Lou drowned and so did her little brother!”
I had no idea what “drowned” meant. I heard more stories at school about how the whole family had drowned trying to save Mary Lou’s little brother who was playing on stepping stones in the water.
I began having a nightmare about how this could have happened. I dreamed about it almost every night and would wake up somehow feeling responsible for losing Mary Lou.
Finally that dream disappeared but another took its place.
Dream #2
My family loved to fish off a big bridge in our area. I dreamed that on one expedition my little brother was leaning over the railing, leaned too far, and fell in. It was a very long drop and he was drowning. My father jumped in after him but all the thrashing forced them both under water. My mother jumped in and she too was drowning. In the dream I knew if I jumped in I would die, so I ran away.
This was the worst dream of all and I am even appalled at recounting it since I am such an unsympathetic character in the story.
This Nightmare #2 stayed with me well into adulthood and finally stopped, but books and films that include water drowning still make me feel ill.
P.S. Little Brother, Steve, if you are reading this, please know that I would jump in now to save you – in the dream or in real life!
Ew…nightmares [shudder], they seem so REAL. I hate them and I’m always grateful to wake up and discover they really didn’t happen!
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Wow, both of these are frightening dreams, Dor. I can’t even drive over a bridge out of fear. Good job with this prompt!
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[…] Recurring Nightmares (Are Made of This) | Virginia Views […]
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My dear big sister. I would never, ever had any doubt at all that you would have saved us – all!! I’m glad you’re no longer burdened with such a horrible dream.
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[…] Recurring Nightmares (Are Made of This) (countryliving4beginners.wordpress.com) […]
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I do like your PS. 🙂 Unfortunately I will say my mother’s experience as a child has always frightened me. Her cousin and another drowned while all were standing by not being able to do anything. Consequently, all four of her children learned to not only swim but excel at swimming. That’s all. I don’t want to precipitate any more nightmares.
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Wow. I think you’re very brave to share your second dream. I can imagine that would cause you to feel some guilt….
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Somehow it helps to voice the horrors of that dream that all started when I was a child with a child’s interpretation of a tragedy.
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I wonder if your Mom ever had similar nightmares.
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[…] Recurring Nightmares (Are Made of This) | Virginia Views […]
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Oh Dor, those are horrible dreams to have haunting you for so long :(. I’m sure I have had many nightmares over the years, but it was one recurring dream that really sticks in my mind. In it I was always lost in my high school and could never find my way to class, if I could even remember what class I was supposed to be going to. I had always lost my schedule, and the hallways seemed to just go on forever and never lead me to the right classroom. It was horrible, and I had that dream for years, even after I was done with school for good. Luckily, it did stop eventually because I was getting really sick of it LOL!!
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Sure is funny what the mind can come up with in sleep! I think being lost has some meaning to dream interpreters. I’m just glad you didn’t get lost when you came to visit me here in Virginia. Happy dreams now only….. 🙂
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🙂 Thanks little brother! I’m hoping that writing about it does not trigger the durned dream again.
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Same to you my friend :).
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I do o.k. on bridges and isn’t that odd considering the horrific dreams? Thanks for your kind comment Jill.
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Ditto Cindy! Waking up is the best part of a nightmare for sure. 🙂
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Whew, what a sad story! I can understand how you had nightmares about loved ones drowning.
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A boy in my first-grade class drowned, too. That’s a traumatic experience for kids. Hope that dream (nightmare) doesn’t visit you any more.
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[…] Recurring Nightmares (Are Made of This) | Virginia Views […]
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You are very brave! I’m not so sure I would have been so brave as to record my worst nightmares!
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Ditto Patti! I’m glad that dream is gone too. 🙂
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OH no you have never taken a rescue course you NEVER endanger ones self! You throw them a life line! Get on Google and find the reason behind so much loss with water involved I am sure you will be further enlightened and Steve stay away from scary, dangerous places, as we love her and would miss her 🙂
ps I love that bridge and tunnel combo except on a windy day in a Semi truck NUTS!!!!!
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Well written and scary!
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Thanks Eunice. Great advice and sentiment.
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Stay safe 🙂
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Ahhh..I’m sure Steve knows you would always be there to save him – in a dream or not – of course your dream (nightmare) #2 was related to your friend’s whole family drowning – that is a real nightmare for a child to have to live thru…
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This is so true that the dreams were both tied to a child’s (my) reaction to a traumatic event. Thanks Kit!
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How scary.
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Dor, I have no doubt you would jump in to save your family! Of COURSE you would. Release the guilt from your “unsympathetic” character in that nightmare. I hope it never returns!
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Ditto Melissa! I was hesitant to reveal it all in a post for fear the “adult” version of the drowning nightmare would return.
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Oh my wow, you’re a dreamer, but these nag – sorry you’ve had to deal with these after all these years! The effect they have on our minds, right? I’m glad you are well with them now and can look back with different eyes –
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