Remembering dreams

Dreams have always been fascinating to me and I suppose that everyone dreams or consider dreams to be of some importance in his or her life. But, the problem I had with dreams was that I could not remember them when I woke up. I often hear people talk about their dream the night before as though it was as clear as night and day. Some people also talk of dreaming in color and I thought, what a cool way to dream. Are people who dream in color somehow more intelligent or more creative and talented than those who just dream in black and white and maybe gray? Some dream experts suggest keeping a dream journal and I did just that.

I set aside a notebook and a pen close to my bed each night so I could reach out and write any dream that occurred that night. I read about Rapid Eye Movement or REM and how it signalled that the dreaming process was happening. Well, I just mentioned it because I think that's important to know. Anyway, I wrote down my dreams whenever I could wake up to write them. A problem with this is that it tends to drive dreams away when you wake up and interrupt the mental movie playing, so to speak. Going back to sleep and trying to continue the dream sems forced and contrived, and just doesn't work. In my teen years there were vivid dreams which were kinid of embarrassing when I wake up to find my underpants wet.