My Dad is Back? But Lost?

Date: 12/14/2025

I'm working at Olive Garden, sitting down for my lunch break when a customer across the restaurant catches my eye to gesture for a drink refill. I lift my drink, showing I'm on lunch and he nods understandably. But I feel bad so I get up and head over to ask what he and his wife would like. He asked for an odd concoction of slushi with sprite, with ice, about 2 inches below the top of the cup. Odd, but I agree and head behind the counter. For some reason, I cannot get it right, either it's too full, or the %s of drink are wrong. I'm getting frustrated as more waitors head behind the counter reaching around and over me. Eventually I give up. I head back to sit at lunch, knowing the customers are likely impatient, but too tired to care. I went out of my way on my lunch anyway. Before I reach my seat... I see my dad. For context, my dad is dead. He took his life Sept 11th 2023 after struggling with a painful disease for 5 yrs, he couldn't take it anymore. He is a Christian and raised us to love and serve God, so I believe he's with God in heaven bow. But in this dream, here he is, smiling at me. I freeze for a few seconds before tightly embracing him. We laugh and talk, he explains he's been away traveling. I soon realize he's looking a but scruffy, hesost weight and his beard is a bit raggy and untrimmed. He looks tired. He then begins to walk off as I follow. He tells me about how he's travelled the past couple years, something about searching for himself. We're eventually at his van where he opens the sliding side door and opens his small suitcase. This is all he's been carrying with him all this time. There's not much at all... Some squishy stretchy toys, some junk, and a variety of different googles/protective eye gear; I assume it's for a variety of different terrain he's been through. He tells me about how it's been rough out there. We then begin to talk about heaven and hell. He gets visibly upset, explaining how if hell was twice the "awful" place it was without God, it'd be better than heaven with God. I'm heart broken and shocked. I desperately plead with him, insisting he can't mean it, explaining how good God is and how amazing heaven is specifically because He is there. He refuses. He looks broken. I feel broken looking at him. I feel anguish for how lost and hurt he is. Then I awake, still feeling the anguish.