the dream catcher

I've always had vivid dreams.
In my childhood, I would many times not know the difference of reality and my dream world.
I would ask my mom why she would allow such things to happen ...only to find out that they really didn't.

In my adult life, interpreting dreams has helped to ease the fear and tension my dreams bring.

I (unfortunately) have passed my vivid dreaming onto my son, Colby.
Any time he is stressed, he will have night terrors.
Many times (if it's not too bad of a dream) I can just tell him that he is dreaming and he will just go back to bed...
Other times though... he climbs up me and screams bloody murder, telling me to not let them hurt him. I tell him I won't, but he looks right through me, hearing me, but not seeing me and tells me that they are, they are hurting him and then he screams... and it breaks my heart.  That I can't do anything but  hold him ...and rock him ... and sing to him ...and try not to cry because I can't take him out of that world that seems so real.

Not too long ago, Sam came home from school with a dream catcher...he knows of my vivid dreams.
He told me he was going to put it on my door to catch all of the bad dreams.
I smiled and told him thank you.

About a week ago, he asked me how the dream catcher was working.  I told him it was doing great!  That I hadn't had any bad dreams... and honestly, that was true.

In the last week, Colby has had night terrors every night.
Tonight, before bed, he asked me if he could borrow my dream catcher.
So... tonight it hangs on his door.

We've made it to midnight so far... Let's just hope it catches the rest of the bad dreams the rest of the night.
...and if it does, I don't mind sharing my dream catcher permanently.