In my dream I found myself face down on a sandy hill; I opened my eyes and felt as if I was beginning to slide down the hill, so I got scared and yelled, "Jesus, save me!"

Immediately I felt a hand holding me up; suddenly I felt safe. I looked at this place and realized I was on a hill in a valley. The valley was the most beautiful, rich green, and in the distance I saw a light (I thought it was the sun); the light was very bright but it did not hurt to look at it. It was white with a golden hue, and it felt as if warmth and love emanated from it.

I realize it seems crazy to say this about a light, but it really felt as if the light had a "personality"; it was alive. And then I looked down and saw a river that I shall never, ever forget. The river was so clear; it seemed to have a life of its own, and I kept looking at it, fascinated because of what was in there. It's as if the water was filled with millions of little sparkling lights; that river was "alive"! It was living, there was life in it!

Then I woke up. I wanted to see that place again; I wanted to go back there, stay there; I wanted to experience that total warmth, safety, love and sense of acceptance I had just experienced; but that was not to be. I thought a lot about this dream - was I granted a tiny glimpse of the afterlife? Was that river what some call the "river of Life"?

Patricia L.

Please respond to: john@beyondreligion.com

Posted July 15, 2012