Anyone knowledgeable in afterlife/spirits and dream interpretations?

I posted in another group about loved ones who passed visiting us in our dreams and was wondering if anyone could help me make sense of it.

My grandfather passed away almost 8 years ago. When he first passed I had a few dreams where I would see him working in his yard (he lived across the street) or walking over to my house. We only talked once in these dreams and he said I'm always here for you and hugged me. In these dreams I never felt peace or comfort. I always felt fear and shocked by seeing him. We were always super close and I was there when he passed. He passed kind of quickly but not quick enough as he suffered from a lung disease and practically suffocated to death.

I had a dream last night that my whole family was at my aunts house, where we all usually get together for the holidays, and he was sitting on the couch next to my grandmother and there was an empty spot next to him for me to sit down at. But I couldn't stop crying. I was literally sobbing in my dream and everyone was looking at me and asking what was wrong. He said he was there checking in to see how we all were doing. I just kept saying how good he looked and I didn't understand how he was there and looked so good and I wouldn't sit next to him because I was in such shock and kind of fearful.

No matter how good the dream is I'm always crying and scared and I dont understand because he always brought me so much happiness and comfort. I feel comforted when I wake up though and confused why I was so sad and scared in my dream.