Years ago, I broke up with an ex-girlfriend I’ve never fully been able to get over. We shared a love so deep and pure during our time together, from ages 18 to 20, that nothing since has come close. After her, I struggled to build healthy relationships because I was stuck in the past, replaying our time together and feeling her absence deeply.
One night, I woke up in the early hours of the morning, overwhelmed by an anxiety attack. I had dreamed of her—a dream so vivid and dark that it shook me to my core. In the dream, I was desperately trying to stop her from doing something, but nothing I did worked. When I woke up, I asked myself, “When will I ever get over this girl?” After calming down, I went back to sleep.
A few days later, I got the call that changed everything. A friend of hers reached out to tell me she had taken her own life. The funeral was that day. The shock was indescribable. I met up with her friends before the service, trying to make sense of it all. They told me that she had deliberately overdosed on tranquilizers that night, slipping into a coma. Her heart stopped in the early hours of the morning—the very same night and time I had dreamed of her.
This realization sent me into a spiral of shock and grief. I experienced temporary stuttering, deep depression, and an unbearable weight of regret. To this day, I cannot explain the connection between my dream and the timing of her passing.
What haunts me most is that she left this world before I could tell her how much I loved and missed her. She had attempted suicide once before, and I can’t help but wonder—if I had reached out sooner, could I have made a difference?
If there’s someone in your life you care about, don’t wait to tell them. Call them. Write them. Let them know how much they mean to you before it’s too late. Dreams and reality don’t always align, but love and connection can sometimes transcend everything.
Dreams like the one you described, paired with such a real-life event, often leave us feeling an unshakable sense of connection or responsibility. But please remember, you couldn’t have known what was going to happen. What you shared about reaching out to those we care about is such an important reminder for everyone.
Healing from something like this takes time, and it’s okay to feel the full range of emotions—grief, love, regret—along the way. If you haven’t already, consider finding someone to talk to, like a therapist, to help process this loss. You’ve honored her memory by sharing your story and inspiring others to hold their loved ones close.
