Each autumn in the quiet village of Millhaven, the townspeople gather by the river to release paper lanterns into the current. Each one carries a message to a future that never came—a path not taken, a decision unmade, a silent dream set free.

Agnes Thornfield has released a lantern every year for over 70 seasons. But this year, something has shifted. With a quiet hand and a memory of Paris folded into paper, she prepares to let go of the life she never lived—the city she never visited, the self she never became, the love she chose instead.

This sleep-focused short story for adults is told in the gentle rhythm of moonlight, lavender-scented wind, and the slow drift of river water past stone arches. As Agnes walks through her village—past the same garden gates and soft footsteps of memory—the listener is invited into a space of stillness and emotional ease. It is not a story of regret. It is a meditation on love, release, and the quiet beauty of letting go.

The Lanterns of Lost Tomorrows is part of the Before Your Dream series—poetic sleep stories for grown-ups, designed to calm the breath, slow the heart, and ease the mind into rest. If you enjoy meditative fiction, calming bedtime listening, or emotionally grounded narratives without conflict or noise, this tranquil tale offers a quiet sanctuary.

Perfect for night-time rituals, gentle reflection, or drifting into peaceful sleep.

Let go of the day. Light the lantern. The river is waiting.