Dying in a dream

This morning, Hans showed up at the kitchen table on his own. I did not have to wake him up! While I was rejoicing this fact, I couldn't help but notice that Hans looked like he was ready to cry! When I asked him why he looked like that, he burst into tears. Then he started talking and I didn't understand anything. I ran off to get him some tissues and after he calmed down a little bit, he let me know that he had a bad dream.

...he met some sea lions and then he fell off into water and then he tried to swim and couldn't reach a rock and then he died...

And then he cried some more. So, I told him that it is only a dream and it didn't really happen. He is still alive. But Hans always needs an explanation; simplistic reassurances don't work with this child.

I decided to share my own dream experience where I died. Just like Hans, I woke up feeling worried and‎ scared. I actually pondered on the real possibility of me dying and all the work that I would leave incomplete if that happened. What would happen to the boys then?!

I actually shared that with Hans and as I did, I started crying too! But I had to ‎stop and gather myself. I let Hans know that I searched on Google for dream interpretation websites. From reading on a few of them, I found out that death in a dream means wanting to be a better person in real life. We are letting go of who we were and moving towards who we could be! As a concrete example, I asked him to look at himself. Every day, I have to wake him up and today, he woke on his own. On the same lines, yesterday, he did his homework by himself. I told him that he is becoming a better boy than he was and in my eyes, he has always been an awesome boy!

I think that helped him cope with his terrible dream. I was still concerned and gave him the option of staying home. He declined my very generous offer and decided to go to school!

Wow! That dream interpretation stuff is quite accurate or it is a crazy cool coincidence! Before I over thought that, I had to remind myself to just enjoy the moment...And I have been doing just that since this morning!