The Dreamer's Pen

Lately, my mom has been showing up in my dreams. She’s been gone for four years but in these dreams she feels so present like she’s walking beside me again, guiding me and quietly cheering me on.

I keep finding myself back in her home in Germany. I’m helping people who don’t speak English. Some speak German and some Polish and somehow, I’m able to help them navigate, translate, and communicate. They’re so grateful and I feel this deep sense of purpose, like I’m doing exactly what I’m meant to do. It’s peaceful. I feel like I’m making a difference.

And my mom keeps appearing, smiling at me, telling me she’s proud. Proud that I’m helping others, proud that I’m volunteering at the food bank, proud that I’m stepping into the things I’m meant to do. It’s like she’s still walking beside me, quietly encouraging me, the way she always did in life.

I applied for an ESL adjunct position recently. I’m still waiting to hear back and I’m trying not to get my hopes up. But dreams like this make me wonder if she’s appearing like this, if the imagery is so vivid and full of love and pride that maybe this is exactly the path I’m meant to take. Maybe helping others find their voice, bridging gaps, and showing empathy is the work I’m supposed to do.

I keep coming back to the feeling in the dream: I am exactly where I need to be. I’m carrying her legacy in my own way, using patience and love to help others feel seen and understood. And in doing that, I’m honoring her, my roots, and myself.

I feel so grateful —for her, for the work I get to do, and for a life that allows me to show up like this. These dreams aren’t just memories of her, they feel like a quiet reminder that guidance, love, and purpose never really leave us. They live on through the choices we make, the paths we take, and the people we touch.

Maybe that’s what this is? A little nudge, from her or from the universe, to trust the path, trust myself, and move forward even when it feels uncertain. Because even if I don’t know exactly how it will all turn out, helping, guiding, connecting – that feels undeniably right.