About a week ago, I had a nightmare.
I dreamed that there was a knock at our front door. Keep in mind, a knock at the door is a daily occurance around here. We live in close proximity to quite a few schools and there are a lot of politically active people in our neighborhood. Someone is always fundraising or trying to get you to swing your vote.
In this nightmare, I ignored the knock. So the dream was, virtually, reality because that is exactly what I do when I’m awake, except that I usually see the person coming and shut the blinds first.
In my dream, I ignored the knock, only to hear three, consecutive knocks a few moments later. Against my better judgement, I opened the door only to be pushed back into my foyer by an intruder with a gun.
Then I woke up.
This nightmare will stay with me for awhile. I know that. I clearly remember two nightmares I had when I was eight years old, a series of them that I had when my ex-boyfriend was harassing me and one a few years ago about me, my husband, our two kids and the SUV in which we were riding going over the side of a cliff. Whoever said that dreams are rainbows and unicorns doesn’t know a thing about my brain.
Last night, in my real life, someone rang the doorbell and I ignored it. A few moments later, there were three, consecutive rings. It was just like what I had experienced in my dream.
My 11 year old daughter asked, “Are you going to answer the door?”
I replied, “No.”
She questioned me further. “Why? Are you thinking about that dream you had?”
“No”, I lied.
She was on to me. She glared at me and said, “You know, Mom, you can’t let your nightmares control your life.”
I may not be as smart as she is, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t open that door.
Follow
Email
Comments
Heather
awww, that would have had to of been a really scary moment, hearing that doorbell ring for the third time. your kid is pretty insightful and brilliant though.
Soge shirts
Your kid does make a very good point but still there is no way I would open the door. That is too creepy. Like a dream warning or something.
Davina
Awwww. She's right though (Don't you hate that)!!! Honestly, I tend to have LOTS of dreams that come true, so yeah – I wouldn't ope the door either!
San Diego Momma
I'm a big believer in harbingers of doom.
And those three rings? Harbingers of doom.
I wouldn't have answered that door even if a unicorn AND a rainbow were out there.
Screw that.
Also, unicorns are creepy.
(Where was I?)
Irish Gumbo
Wow. Very insightful kid!
Tara R.
You couldn't have paid me to open that door.
Millicent
HATE those dreams!!! I still remember a dream that I had numerous times as a kid–I was about 5 or 6–and my mom was just a head. Yep, a head with no body. I hated it and I can still see all of the details when I think about it.
I wouldn't have opened the door, at least not without a sharp object in my hand!
Matty
Well who knows. You may have saved everyone's life by NOT opening the door.
Now go install a peep hole.
Kim - Mommycosm
Smart kid. But…
My Grammy used to get warnings in her dreams. She started listening to them. What if it WAS a warning. I don't think I would have opened the door either.
I once had a nightmare about crashing in a plane. I was in row 41. I will never, ever fly in a plane in row 41. Just saying.
Vodka Mom
She kicked your ass. And I love her.
that girl
this made me smile. 🙂
AlisonH
Matty beat me to the peephole idea. Windows are good things, in any size you can get. Either way, you do not have to open that door. (Thinking of the time I whisked my neighbor inside my house to protect her from an angry… She was uncertain but scared, I called the cops. Good thing.)
NYCPatty
I credit my fear of answering the doorbell to watching too much "unsolved Mysteries" as a child, oh yeah and living in NYC!
In my apt building to have a doorbell you need to have a landline for your phone. Not me! I only have my cell, so if I don't know you are coming to my house too bad so sad, ring all you want because I'll never hear it!
It's the perfect solution!
Liz@thisfullhouse
Been there and NO I wouldn't have opened the door, either (not that, with 4 kids, I'd even get a chance to get to the gosh-darned thing before they did!)
meleah rebeccah
Holy Crap. Im glad you did NOT open the door!
mrsmouthy
Yikes, I have the chills. That was a good Halloween story and I have to say my brain is exactly the same as yours. I'm afraid to go to sleep every night because it's all doom and gloom and terror until I wake up.