Friday, July 30, 2021

Even When I Sleep

I frequently dream when I sleep. I imagine most people dream, but I recall most of mine. They usually form a lucid story - or reasonably lucid, given the nature of dreams. There is a storyline, however truncated it may be, a progression of events, one causing its sequel, and so on. Now and then, I dream of cats.



On the weekend, I dreamed that I was riding my bicycle toward my home. It was not the home I live in now, but was in a familiar part of my town. I passed three kittens walking on the sidewalk. The first turned out to be a puppy but looked like a baby hippopotamus; as is the way with dreams, even though it resembled an African animal, I knew it was a dog. That it was more hippo than dog, or cat, was not surprising: I had watched King’s Solomon’s Mines a few hours before.



The scene switched to my home, to which, predictably, I had brought the kittens. One was orange, and kept changing size. When he was on the carpeted floor, he was about an inch long; in my hand, he was six or seven times that size.



I was trying to find boxes to put them in. I don’t normally put kittens in boxes, of course, but the scene may have been influenced by the time when I had to take a kitten, soon to be named Echo, home from my work-place. I put her in a box (with air-holes punched in the top) for the short ride. In my dream, I could not find an empty box. There were dozens, hundreds, but all filled with items.



And then I woke up.


While this dream is unique, it is typical of its type: there is usually something happening, something interesting - not uncommonly, it is more interesting than real life - and influenced by events that happened in the waking world. Someone asked me if this dream was prophetic. Considering the constricted space in the Cosy Apartment, it probably will not come to pass. But, compared with some of my more fantastic dreams, there is always the possibility.


After all, our rescue group receives calls all the time regarding baby hippos being found on sidewalks…


16 comments:

  1. Loved this dream and your thoughts on it. I have vivid ones myself many times. Rarely mundane. Too many are what I term work dreams. I am there..ready for duty and so on and so on. I'll throw this in: Once I had and remember to this minute, a good 15 years ago dream in which I was in a beautiful ballerina-like costume and ice skating of ALL things, under the steps of a foot ball stadium arena. I can't ice skate, but always did the roller skate thing. Full living color too. I was attracting an audience.

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  2. Such an interesting dream. If I fall asleep with the TV on I dream along the lines of whatever is on. Jaws was a pretty scary dream.

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  3. Just realize that baby hippos grow huge, so don't stop for the one
    on the sidewalk. No cardboard box big enough, there. Love the idea
    of a kitten so Lilliputian one minute and growing the next. Hope some
    where in there, you got some rest.

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  4. What an interesting dream. I usually don't remember my dreams, but I don't recall them ever involving my cats, much less a baby hippo. But that said, the baby hippo is adorable. Hmmm... Do you think he would get along with my cats? :-)

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  5. I don't remember most of my dreams, or if I do recall them, only small fragments. They're usually very strange and very rarely have continuity.

    The baby hippo is adorable, but somehow I think you're better off with cats (and kittens). :-)

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  6. I don't recall ever dreaming about cats.

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  7. I don’t often dream—at least, dreams that I remember. The last really vivid dream I recall was when you told us that Raleigh and Cammie had passed on. I read that in the morning, and it was in the back of my mind all that day. I felt terrible about it. That night, I had a very realistic dream where I woke up in the morning and went out into the living room. I was surprised to see Raleigh sitting there. I picked him up and cuddled him, and told him how happy I was to meet him in person. He “said” to me (or communicated, or whatever it is you do in dreams) “Don’t feel sad about me. I’m happy.”

    I like to think it wasn’t just a dream.

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    1. You haven't mentioned this before. I'd like to think Peachy did visit you.

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  8. HaHa! That is brilliant..And YES l dream a lot
    to..quite vivid at times, one night l dreamt
    l ate a giant 'marshmallow' when l woke up the
    pillow was missing..! :).

    I have family down for the weekend..so l have
    my daughters Staffy dog pestering me...and she's
    a tart..! :).
    Though, last night l slept like a log...I woke up
    in the fire~place...! :O).
    HeHe! Dream on! Dream on! :o).

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  9. I dream a lot and most are forgotten on waking. The ones I do remember are so weird. I also have a lot of nightmares. The most vivid was when I was first diagnosed with the cancer returning 4 1/2 years ago. I was in a huge dark hall with very small round windows. Lots of dark shadowy shapes flew in and were trying to drag me out through those windows. I fought them like mad and woke up shouting. You may think I am silly, but the nightmare told me I could and would fight the cancer for as long as possible.

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    1. I don't think that's silly at all, and I suspect anyone who reads this would agree with me. It was your mind's way of reaching a decision and, for what my opinion is worth, I think a very good decision - though it must have been frightening, too.

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  10. Raleigh and Cammie's passing was very impactful to me, as you already know. I won't soon forget their conversation before going to the train station.

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  11. Dreams are such fun as they have all kinds of things distorted in size and shape and as we look on they seem totally natural. Great dream thanks so much for sharing

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  12. That dream is fantastic!! I dream a lot of stranger than strange things, too...and I need to keep a journal by my bed to write them all down before their memories flit away like a butterfly!

    When I was a young girl, I dreamt that. Air Canada had pasted on logos (Yup, very strange, LOL!), and the whole thing peeled off and the plane came down with it in our backyard. We had just moved to a town close to Toronto Airport...and no it never happened...LOL!!

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  13. It's interesting how everyone has different experiences with dreams. I dream a lot, but I cannot remember them. Other than a vague feeling and very random thoughts. Only ones I can remember with clarity are alarming or in other words nightmares.

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  14. I rarely recall my dreams but I am sure I can state with certainty I've never dreamed about a dog/cat/hippo. Very cute pictures by the way!

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