Lot's of people say they either don't dream at all or know they do but can't remember them. But there's no fading or vanishing of my dreams with the arrival of the morning sun. I once heard a theory that we shouldn't try to remember or analyse dreams as they're the brain trying to rid itself of useless information in order to to free up space for the important stuff. Like what?! Given the choice between remembering my latest dream-escape and my own mobile number I take the dream any time! But then I can't forget them even if I wanted to.
The same visual memory curse I have which recalls actors and movies they have stared in can also place dreams I had from years ago as a clear photograph. So I can see the paper dragon attacking the castle from the dream when I was four or the sand filled London from when I was nineteen as easily as the dream I had last night. I can also remember the dreamscapes that I would return to; the derelict, roofless museum with all the ivy; and the castle with the cinema and shopping centre; the small cafe by the bridge next to the waterfall that was full of cyclists; the Cornish fishing village beyond the forest with its trams, stuck in perpetual twilight!
As to why we dream one thought is that the mind uses the body's down-time as a data-processing-period. The brains churns through what has happened in the last few days, what's expected in the time to come and anything else that has currently settled in the subconscious. I can buy into that as I can often see threads leading back from my dreams to things which happened the day before. For example a spot of gardening being done while you know the rest of the country is probably watching England play football leads to a dream of a stadium full of tropical plants (although where the zombies come into it I've no idea - the English team weren't that bad surely!)
But I tend to sneer at other dream theories as I do dream in colour, I can read words I see written down, I've died in my dreams but survived in the real world and I can sometimes control my dreams. I backed into someone's car in dreamland the other week, felt bad about it so rewound the experience and parked a second time. It also helps when I see a dream turning sour that I can try to turn the dream around or change it all together. It doesn't always work - the stadium zombies got me no matter what I tried! (I really hate football!)
But the best part of my dream-escapes comes from one simple equation:
A vivid dreamer + A flying dream = Greatest experience ever!
Forget virtual reality! Forget flight simulators! This is the closest thing you'll get to being Superman! It's only happened once or twice but it was enough. As I settle on my pillow and let reality wash away I wish that "Tonight I'll fly once more..."
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