Randa Abdel-Fattah

And finally, if you have an idea or like something you heard on the show, please write us at ThruLine at NPR.org.

And finally, if you have an idea or like something you heard on the show, please write us at ThruLine at NPR.org.

You know, sometimes I struggle with that idea of that the dreams are actually telling us something real because... My dad passed away, and hearing you describe that, I had dreams. They were the most vivid dreams I've had in my life. And part of me wants to dissociate them from my reality, sort of have them be in their own space. But what you're describing feels like...

You know, sometimes I struggle with that idea of that the dreams are actually telling us something real because... My dad passed away, and hearing you describe that, I had dreams. They were the most vivid dreams I've had in my life. And part of me wants to dissociate them from my reality, sort of have them be in their own space. But what you're describing feels like...

You know, sometimes I struggle with that idea of that the dreams are actually telling us something real because... My dad passed away, and hearing you describe that, I had dreams. They were the most vivid dreams I've had in my life. And part of me wants to dissociate them from my reality, sort of have them be in their own space. But what you're describing feels like...

almost like dreams are a window into our minds, into some deeper consciousness, rather than a random assortment of things that just like happen in our mind.

almost like dreams are a window into our minds, into some deeper consciousness, rather than a random assortment of things that just like happen in our mind.

almost like dreams are a window into our minds, into some deeper consciousness, rather than a random assortment of things that just like happen in our mind.

This is Siddhartha Ribeiro.

This is Siddhartha Ribeiro.

This is Siddhartha Ribeiro.

Siddhartha also wrote the book The Oracle of Night, The History and Science of Dreams.

Siddhartha also wrote the book The Oracle of Night, The History and Science of Dreams.

Siddhartha also wrote the book The Oracle of Night, The History and Science of Dreams.

After my dad passed and he began showing up in my dreams, I found myself thinking back to a conversation we'd had a few years earlier. It's the only time I can remember my dad explicitly talking about dreams. It all started when my mom mentioned that a mysterious thing had happened to a friend of hers. She dreamed about a loved one right at the moment that loved one died.

After my dad passed and he began showing up in my dreams, I found myself thinking back to a conversation we'd had a few years earlier. It's the only time I can remember my dad explicitly talking about dreams. It all started when my mom mentioned that a mysterious thing had happened to a friend of hers. She dreamed about a loved one right at the moment that loved one died.

After my dad passed and he began showing up in my dreams, I found myself thinking back to a conversation we'd had a few years earlier. It's the only time I can remember my dad explicitly talking about dreams. It all started when my mom mentioned that a mysterious thing had happened to a friend of hers. She dreamed about a loved one right at the moment that loved one died.

My mom believed God was sending her friend a message in that dream. But my dad kind of chuckled and said, dreams don't work like that. He was a doctor who specialized in helping people with sleep issues, after all. If I'm being honest, he probably would have trolled me for making this episode. Eh, bad dreams. It's probably sleep apnea, you would say. But there was no convincing my mom.

My mom believed God was sending her friend a message in that dream. But my dad kind of chuckled and said, dreams don't work like that. He was a doctor who specialized in helping people with sleep issues, after all. If I'm being honest, he probably would have trolled me for making this episode. Eh, bad dreams. It's probably sleep apnea, you would say. But there was no convincing my mom.

My mom believed God was sending her friend a message in that dream. But my dad kind of chuckled and said, dreams don't work like that. He was a doctor who specialized in helping people with sleep issues, after all. If I'm being honest, he probably would have trolled me for making this episode. Eh, bad dreams. It's probably sleep apnea, you would say. But there was no convincing my mom.