Impossible situations can become possible miracles.
~Robert H. Schuller

I didn’t know my grandparents well. They lived in England, and I lived in Canada. I visited them only a few times, but I remember once taking a photo of my granddad. His slender body and long arms stretched wide, just begging for an embrace, and my grandma sat beside him with the largest smile on her face. It was one of my favorite memories and the only photo I own of my grandparents together. My grandmother hated getting her photo taken, but she had made an exception that time.

My granddad passed away when I was nine, and my grandma died when I was in my teens. I kept that special photo of the two of them tucked in an old photo album.

One night, when I was in college, I crawled into bed exhausted, and I had a vivid dream.

I saw a picture — the exact picture of my grandparents that I took when I was nine. This time, though, it wasn’t a picture; it was real. My granddad pulled me in with his long arms, and I sat on his lap. I could feel the strength of his arms around me. I could sense the warmth of my grandmother’s small hands on my back as she embraced me. They explained to me that my mother had cancer, and I began to cry uncontrollably. They rubbed my back and told me that she would be okay — that everything would be okay.

I awoke to a pillow soaked in tears. I was crying hysterically… from a dream. It had felt so real, like a real visit, and it scared me. I tried to return to sleep, but I couldn’t.

I called my mum as soon as I could. It was a difficult conversation because I couldn’t stop sobbing. She tried to console me, telling me it was just a dream, but I could tell from her voice that she was concerned, too.

Three months later, my mum went to the doctor for a sore throat. She seldom went to the doctor, and never because of something as trivial as a sore throat. But something didn’t feel right, and my dream had scared her. That day, the doctor confirmed that she had cancer. My grandparents had been right. But at least they had said she would be okay.

My mum has been cancer-free for over fifteen years. She is strong and living life to the fullest. That visit changed both our lives. My mum might not be here today if my grandparents hadn’t found a way to send me the message. Not a day goes by that we don’t say “thank you” for that dream that changed everything for us.

— Nicki Wright —