Is becoming emotionless worth ending wars, hatred, and other unpleasantness? If no, does that mean our happiness is worth more than world peace? If yes, then can we even say that we’re alive if we can’t feel anything? Wouldn’t we exist as something less than animals (because animals, though less intelligent than us, still have feelings)?
I really enjoyed this one. It gave me a lot to think about.
I wonder if we can ever stop conflict for as long as we have emotions. If we’re doomed to fight, hate, yell, kill, cheat and deceive each other. Is this the curse of also being able to love?
I must say it’s a very original idea. And I read it to the last to find out how it ended. Maybe it would have been a good idea for Elizabeth to be a character in her parents’ dream -their dream daughter. Like the never ending story movie. Recursive. Thx for this one, Bill, keep on writing!
Thank you, Baye. I'm glad you enjoyed Where Dreams Are Born. Prince's Dream Factory, a perfect song! (Two of my stories have theme songs written for them which is lots of fun.)
Really brilliantly done, Bill. I think dreams are intrinsic to our humanity and, as someone who has multiple dreams and nightmares every night, I can’t imagine life without them. A chilling tale indeed 👏
Classic Bill Adler! I paused suddenly on this line. "What’s the point of life without love?" My first thought was, "Even though I prefer to be alone most of the time, I still cherish the gift of knowing there are a couple people in the world who love me and whom I love." Then I continued your story. Thanks for this beautiful little digression in the middle of your fantasy.
Thank you, Sharron. I'm happy you liked this tale of dreams, love, and what it is to be human. Sometimes, we have to lose something to know what its purpose was.
How clever to make an absence of dreams and nightmares a threat to humanity. You've made me think, Bill. Uh, oh. Do emotions come from dreams or are dreams an outlet for our emotions? If the latter is true, then wouldn't an absence of dreams and nightmares fuel a desire to act on our emotions in real life, inflicting havoc upon society? I liked the use of children to recover the ability to dream. You could have used writers and other creative types, but that wouldn't have fit the rest of the story, ha, ha.
How often do we wake shaking in fear or smiling after a dream? There's a link between emotions and dreams, but it's mysterious, at least to me. Children often seem closer to the fiction of facts.
I like your flip view of this: If we didn't dream we'd have to pursue our emotions with an unbridled intensity in the real world.
Very creepy as you do so well, and nearly believable. Might give me nightmares!
Thank you, Elyse. I have a hard time resisting strange and creepy, but I hope I didn't cause you any scream-in-the-middle-of-sleeping nightmares.
If it were only possible that everything came from a factory and could be fixed.
I would like to have only good dreams from the dream factory.
Terrific writing Bill.
Thank you, Jim!
Is becoming emotionless worth ending wars, hatred, and other unpleasantness? If no, does that mean our happiness is worth more than world peace? If yes, then can we even say that we’re alive if we can’t feel anything? Wouldn’t we exist as something less than animals (because animals, though less intelligent than us, still have feelings)?
I really enjoyed this one. It gave me a lot to think about.
I wonder if we can ever stop conflict for as long as we have emotions. If we’re doomed to fight, hate, yell, kill, cheat and deceive each other. Is this the curse of also being able to love?
I’m glad you enjoyed Where Dreams Are Born.
I must say it’s a very original idea. And I read it to the last to find out how it ended. Maybe it would have been a good idea for Elizabeth to be a character in her parents’ dream -their dream daughter. Like the never ending story movie. Recursive. Thx for this one, Bill, keep on writing!
Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed Where Dreams Are Born.
I wasn't sure how it was going to end until I arrived there; several different endings competed for my attention. I like your idea.
If you like recursive stories, my most recent one has that, too: https://billadler.substack.com/p/voodoo
I seriously love your short stories!
I'm happy to hear that, Kathy. Thank you so very much.
Very spooky story, but this song kept playing inb my head: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2CW1nY04RI
Thank you, Baye. I'm glad you enjoyed Where Dreams Are Born. Prince's Dream Factory, a perfect song! (Two of my stories have theme songs written for them which is lots of fun.)
Creepy! (Shudder)
Thank you, Tara. Creepy is what I was aiming for.
Goosebumps...
Thank you. I was hoping for that reaction when I wrote "Where Dreams Are Born."
Really brilliantly done, Bill. I think dreams are intrinsic to our humanity and, as someone who has multiple dreams and nightmares every night, I can’t imagine life without them. A chilling tale indeed 👏
Thank you, Daniel. I'm delighted you enjoyed "Where Dreams Are Born." Without our dreams what are we?
Wow!
Thank you, Stu.
Classic Bill Adler! I paused suddenly on this line. "What’s the point of life without love?" My first thought was, "Even though I prefer to be alone most of the time, I still cherish the gift of knowing there are a couple people in the world who love me and whom I love." Then I continued your story. Thanks for this beautiful little digression in the middle of your fantasy.
Thank you, Sharron. I'm happy you liked this tale of dreams, love, and what it is to be human. Sometimes, we have to lose something to know what its purpose was.
Here's an interesting concept from Bill Adler's short story built inside the larger premise of the tale.
Thank you, Graeme!
Very cool idea, Bill. The premise of "no dreams means no emotions" is an interesting one. Great read. Restacked!
Thanks so much! I’m delighted you enjoyed “Where Dreams Are Born.”
your stories are addictive, I think I just read 6 in a row, using the link at the bottom of each story!
Thank you!
Thank you, Maria. I'm delighted to hear that.
How clever to make an absence of dreams and nightmares a threat to humanity. You've made me think, Bill. Uh, oh. Do emotions come from dreams or are dreams an outlet for our emotions? If the latter is true, then wouldn't an absence of dreams and nightmares fuel a desire to act on our emotions in real life, inflicting havoc upon society? I liked the use of children to recover the ability to dream. You could have used writers and other creative types, but that wouldn't have fit the rest of the story, ha, ha.
How often do we wake shaking in fear or smiling after a dream? There's a link between emotions and dreams, but it's mysterious, at least to me. Children often seem closer to the fiction of facts.
I like your flip view of this: If we didn't dream we'd have to pursue our emotions with an unbridled intensity in the real world.