The Dream
In December 1943 Jennie Cesternino dreamed of her son, Leonard, who at that time was fighting in Italy. She described the dream in a letter to him:
You know son I’m feeling happy today. The reason is I dreamed about you last night and I saw you very plain in my dreams and that made me very happy. It was just like really seeing you.
I dreamed you came in from work from Tony’s and you came in all smiles and you said to me Ma you better send my pants to the cleaners because I have a date for tonight.
It really made me happy to see you even though it was only a dream… 332
Unfortunately, Leonard was mortally wounded in action at about this time. The family believes that his death occurred on the night of his mother’s dream. Perhaps this is one of those tragic coincidences that make an interesting story. Or, could this be an example of God’s amazing grace, giving a mother and son a last reunion? I prefer to believe the latter. After being separated by time and distance for many months, Mrs. Cisternino and Leonard were given a moment together in anticipation of a greater reunion to come. The poet, Robert Browning, described his faith that he would be together again with his beloved wife in heaven:
For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave.
The black minute’s at end,
And the elements’ rage, the fiend voices that rave,
Shall dwindle, shall blend,
Shall change, shall become first a peace out of pain.
Then a light, then thy breast,
O thou soul of my soul! I shall clasp thee again,
And with God be the rest!333
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
—1 Thessalonians 4:13–14