I Wake Up In A Panic

I am trying to get in the practice of jotting down my dreams. I’ve lost the basis for some great best selling novels by failing to do so. But I have some dreams, over and over again that are not any great source of inspiration. I don't have to write them down because I am very familiar with them. I have them, these same ones, on a regular basis.

Teeth Falling Out. Often, when I am dreaming about a wonderful, ordinary interaction with new people, in the dream I put my hand to my mouth and realize that a front tooth has fallen out. I feel the tooth next to that one and am shocked to notice that that one is barely hanging on. I touch it and it falls out too. I spit into my hand and five or six more teeth come along. I run my tongue along my gums and knock out the few remaining teeth. I wake up in a panic.

Toilet Problems. I dream I am at a classy party. I look hot in a black dress, high heels and a lot less waistline than I actually have. I excuse myself to the powder room. I don’t dream about going to the bathroom but the next thing I know there is a HUMONGOUS turd in the bowl. Huge. Way too big to be flushed. Just floating there, mocking me. Someone knocks on the bathroom door. I wake up in a panic.

Missed Connections. I dream that I am travelling by myself. Confident, excited. Starting some adventure. It has the flavor of going someplace in Europe. I get off the plane but arrive in a train station. Not sure how that transition happens in the dream. But I am on the train platform. Reading the updating message board. Every time I think I’ve figured out which train to board I get there just as the train is pulling away. I look at the board for another option. Figure out the train. Get there just as the train is pulling away. By the way, I am hauling a rolling suitcase that is just about the same size as me. People watch me but are not offering to help. I keep on missing trains until I panic. I wake up in a panic.

Dinner drills. I dream that I am sitting at the dining room table of my childhood. The usual stuff that used to go on at my childhood table is going on. My brother is tipping back in his chair and my dad sneaks his toe under the chair leg and sends him flying into the wall. Dad has asked first my brother, then my sister about what they learned in school today. He takes their simple but impressive (to me) answers and turns them into college lectures. I am sweating. Waiting for my turn. Trying to recall anything at all that I learned in school today. I got nothing. I am racking my brain for any morsel to even show that I was in school today. Still nothing. So when he finally gets to me I….wet my pants. I wake up in a panic. And I usually have to get out of bed because I really do need to pee.

Shopping with Mother. I dream that I am out shopping with my mother. It’s a contemporary dream though mom has been gone since 1992. We are in downtown Seattle. People look at us together and smile. (In my waking life when I see women of my age out walking with their mothers I fight feelings of extreme jealousy). We are then in a department store having a great time. Trying on hats. Laughing hard. I see a really incredible hat just to the side. The hat is always different in the dreams, but always something that looks like it came from a Dr. Seuss book. I go over to put it on. When I turn around my mom is gone. I can’t find her. I am rushing around the perfume counters and lingerie department in a ridiculous hat, saying “mother, mother” over and over again. I wake up in a panic.

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What reoccurring dreams do you have?