While getting ready for school this week, my daughter stopped putting on her shoes to look up at me, and with concern in her voice said, “Mommy, I want to talk to you about something.” I knew she was serious, as her tone and body language completely changed, and she stopped what she was doing. She explained that she had a bad dream that night and was afraid. In it, she had hurt her hand while playing at a pool and tried to find me for help, only to see me and the family leaving without her. She was sobbing as she told me how sad she was that we left her in her dream.

My heart was broken for my little girl who felt such despair from something that wasn’t even real. But, it was real to her, because she lived through the dream. I picked her up when…