I dreamed that I was in a big house and in that house was furniture, knick-knacks, etc..., that were in the home of my paternal grandparents years ago. I was amazed at the detail of the items that I saw. Although the house was not the home they occupied when they were living, everything else was the same. It felt so familiar. In the dream I was a small child. About the same size/age that I was when my grandma passed away. I was 5 at the time. I was sitting on the floor, Indian style and I was crying. I don't know why. I remember feeling very sad and upset. Then I looked up and saw a woman coming down the long stairway. (the house in my dream was a beautiful Victorian-style home). The woman I saw was my grandma.

She then walked over behind me and she placed her hand on my shoulder and was rubbing it and patting it and was telling me that everything was going to be alright. I then felt a sense of comfort and peace, and the dream ended. My grandma looked the same age that she was when she died which was 58. My grandma and I were very close. She always was kind to me, and I loved her very much. She always looked out for me.

The day after my dream, my father suffered his heart attack which he did not survive. He was only 51. He, my step-mom, my younger brother and sister were on vacation and were traveling through Minnesota at the time that this happened. I have always believed that when you die, there is a loved one there waiting for you. Don't ask me why. It's just how I feel. I have always wondered if my grandmother knew what was going to happen to my dad, and that she "slipped into my dream" to provide me with some comfort from what was about to unfold. She was always a source of comfort to me when she was living, and I know she knew that the death of my father would be devastating to me. 

I also wonder if maybe she is my guardian angel. She was definitely a Christian woman. She lived for God in everything she did. She was almost Angelic when she was living. I think she was the loved one there waiting for my father as he passed away. 

I suppose the dream could have been a coincidence, but I really don't think it was. I had not had a dream about my grandma in years. I cant even remember the last time I had a dream with her in it. I truly believe that my dream was more than "just a dream". I feel that my grandmother was with me that night. I just feel it. I can't explain it. I just feel that she was.
        
      Did the voice or sound seem to originate externally, or outside of you, inside of you, or did you not hear a voice or sound but had a knowing of what was communicated?  I just know that I heard her voice. She was standing behind me in the dream when she told me that everything was going to be alright. I wasn't looking at her face when she said this.

      If you heard a voice or sound, was it similar or dissimilar to the voice or sound the deceased made when they were alive?  It was her voice.

      How clearly did you hear the deceased?  Very clear.

      Is there any possibility that what you heard was from any other source in the surroundings at the time of your experience?  No

      Was there any possible impairment to your hearing at the time of the experience?  No

Did you feel a touch or experience any physical contact from the deceased?  Yes

      Where and how were you touched?  She placed her hand on my shoulder, and I felt it. I felt her rubbing and patting my shoulder. (in the dream)

      Was the touch familiar?  The feeling of comfort was familiar. The way she made me feel when I was a child.

      Was anything communicated by the touch?  She was trying to console me, which she accomplished.

      Is there any possibility what you felt was from any other source present in your surroundings at the time of your experience?  No.

Did you see the deceased?  Yes

      Describe the appearance of the deceased:  She looked the same age as when she died, which was 58. She wore a dark colored dress, her hair looked like she always wore it, and she had her glasses on.

      How clearly did the deceased appear?  solid

      How much of the deceased did you see?  all

      Did the deceased appear or not appear to be the age at which they died?  She looked the same age as when she died, only she didn't look sick in the dream. She looked the way she did when she got dressed up for church.

      How healthy did the deceased appear to be?  She looked happy and healthy in the dream. She was in poor health when she died from breast cancer. But in the dream, she looked the way she did before the cancer took its toll on her.

      Is there any possibility what you saw was from any other source present in your surroundings at the time of your experience?  No

Did you smell a distinct smell, fragrance or odor associated with the deceased?  No

How long did the experience last?  The dream was rather short and since it was a dream, I cant be for sure how long it truly was. I'd guess around 1-2 minutes.

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?  This is hard to comment on since this happened in a dream. I do remember that as soon as she made me feel comforted the dream ended suddenly.

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?  She was very somber. She was very loving in her touch and in what she said.
      Describe:  She was very somber. She was very loving in her touch and in what she said.

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:  As I have explained, I was sleeping. This was a dream. But in the dream I was initially sad and upset about something. I don't know what. But as soon as I saw her, heard her, and felt her touch, I felt peaceful and no longer upset.

What other attitudes and beliefs about your experience do you currently have:
      Sacred
      Dream
        
      Other Attitude or Belief
          It makes me feel as though my grandmother is still protecting me and watching over me. Maybe even my guardian angel.

Was there any emotional healing in any way following the experience?  Uncertain
      Describe:  I was definitely traumatized at the event of my father's sudden death, but it gave me some comfort to think that my grandmother was there waiting for him. She was very close to my dad and all of her children for that matter.

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?  Yes
      Describe:  It made me believe even more that there is a loved one or loved ones waiting for you when you pass. My grandma was always there for my dad when she was living, showing him the way through life. Why wouldn't she be there for him during this huge transition to show him the way once again?!

To the best of your knowledge, did the deceased, during their life, ever have a near-death experience, out of body experience or other spiritual experience?  Uncertain
      Describe:  I'm not sure. I was only 5 when grandma died. I do know that she was very religious.

Was the experience dream like in any way?  Yes
      Describe:  This definitely happened in a dream, but it was not an ordinary dream. It was so detailed. My grandma had been gone for years so it was uncommon for me to dream about her. She was so real in the dream. I truly felt as though I had warped back in time to my childhood, and she was really there.

Did you experience a separation of consciousness from your body? No
    
Did you meet or see any other beings other than the deceased?  Yes

 Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?  Uncertain

      Describe:  I think that when she told me that "everything was going to be alright" she knew what was going to happen, and it was her way of being there for me. To try to prepare me, console and comfort me. 

 Did you see or visit any beautiful or otherwise distinctive locations, levels or dimensions?  Yes

      Describe:  I remember the house I was in was a house I didn't recognize, but it was beautiful and it was huge. I only saw the inside of the home. It had the same furniture, knick-knacks, pictures etc... that my grandparents home had. The stairway that my grandma walked down was also beautiful.

 Did you have any sense of altered space or time?  Yes

      Describe:  Yes, I was back in my childhood.

 Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?  Yes

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience you did not have prior to the experience?  Uncertain

      Describe:  I went on my first ghost hunt a few months ago in a cemetery, and was fortunate to capture a few ghostly beings on film. I submitted one photo to ghoststudy.com and they posted it on their site. We have a lot of family pics that show things that suggest ghostly beings on film. (but that's another story) A couple years ago, I was going through an emotionally difficult time, and one evening while I was standing in my kitchen, I felt a hand on the back of my shoulder. It was NOT my imagination. I felt it. I spun around and no one was there. It scared me to death. I thought someone was in my house and was there to hurt me, but no one was there. I was there alone. The feel of the hand on my shoulder was exactly the same feeling as my grandmothers hand on my shoulder in the dream. Maybe it was her? I don't know. I never figured that one out.

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?  Yes

      Describe:  Like I said before, I now feel that my grandma is always watching over me and is always near by.

 Has the experience affected your relationships?  Daily life?  Religious practices etc.?  Career choices?  I have become more interested in religion. I go to church now. I don't really think my experience had an impact however. I just know that life is short and I would really like to get right with God. My husband was murdered 4/4/00 . I miss him dearly. That made me realize that our time here on this earth is short and we need to be ready when our day comes. My paternal grandparents were always concerned about the family and their relationship with God. They always encouraged us to go to church and get saved etc...

 Have you shared this experience with others?  Yes

      Describe:  No one really has quite understood my experience I guess. They didn't have the feeling that I did. No one has discredited my feelings either.

Have you shared this experience formally or informally with any other researcher or web site?  No
        
What emotions/feelings did you experience following your experience?  I was a little confused as to why I would dream about my grandma since it had been a long time since I had dreamed about her. I was amazed at how I seen certain knick-knacks that over the years I had totally forgotten about. It gave me a good feeling. I remembered what it actually felt like to be 5 again.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?  The best was feeling my grandmothers presence and to remember what it felt like to have her there beside me giving me comfort. It had been a long time since I had that feeling. The worst part of the experience was the part just before I saw her descending the stairs. I felt sad and alone.

Is there anything else you would like to add regarding your experience?  No

Did the questions asked and information you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?  Yes
      Describe:  I feel that I have completely described what happened. Although it was a dream, it was no ordinary dream. It seemed so real.