Dream Analysis: A Mother Misses Her Baby Ducks
Every now and then, a Dream Prophesy reader will submit a dream to share on the website, simply for the sake of sharing. Because the dream’s meaning is obvious, they know exactly what the interpretation or analysis is.
They simply want to share it with other readers. I think that’s great and LOVE for dreamers to share their dreams. Other dreamers may be having similar dreams and can benefit from seeing what another person “gets out of” their dream.
Below is an e-mail (along with the dream and a very accurate interpretation!) from a reader in Florida named Sandy.
Over the past year, both of my daughters moved out of our home. Our oldest daughter got married and moved with her husband 46 miles away (south). My youngest daughter – two months later – moved away for college, 2 and 1/2 hours away (north). I’m stuck in the middle, missing them with all my heart.
I’m proud of both of them and I love my son in law, but I miss my daughters badly. I cry more this year than I have in my whole life.
My husband and I have not been getting along. He says I am always sad and never happy any more. He doesn’t understand. If I seem unhappy it’s because I am.
Anyway, two nights ago I had a dream that just makes so much sense and is so perfect, I wanted to share with you and other readers of Dream Prophesy.
Here’s the dream. I was helping people move farm animals from one part of the state to another. I would put them in cages and move them onto a truck. Then we’d drive them to their new farm. Everything was okay until they showed me three ducks that had to be moved. Before I could say anything, they put the mother duck in one cage and the two baby ducks in a different cage. The mother duck started sqwaking and crying – waving her wings and acting very upset. She became angry and aggressive, and if she wasn’t in a cage, she would have bitten us all.
I said, “She wants her babies!” but they put her and her cage on one truck and the cage with the babies on another truck. I had to drive the truck with the unhappy and mad mother duck. She was so loud that she was upsetting the other animals in their cages and none of us were happy. I felt so sorry for her. So instead of driving on the road I was told to, I followed the other truck and honked until they stopped. They thought I was crazy but I yelled at them, “She wants her babies!”
I got the cage with the two baby ducks and opened it. I put them into the cage with the mad mother duck and she pulled her babies close to her with her wings. I told them, “You will never be apart again.” Then I woke up.
The dream is obvious, isn’t it? “She wants her babies!” That’s me. And no one else understands but me, just like in the dream. You want to know something else about the dream that makes it cute? I have collected ducks (figurines, books, pillows, pictures, stuffed animals, and anything with ducks on it) since my daughters were in diapers. They even had duck diaper bags.
I just wanted to share my dream because it is neat how they show what’s going on in your life. Thank you for your website, I read it all the time. – Sandy
Thanks for sharing your dream, Sandy! Your dream is, in many ways, adorable. As a “mother duck,” myself, I understand all of the feelings you described. However, as a dreamologist, I think I see something that you overlooked, and it’s something that may actually help you. Notice that you say the mother duck acted mad (angry and aggressive – and that she’d have bitten you all if she weren’t in a cage). I actually think this is the most important part of the dream, even more so than the separation anxiety the mother duck felt which matches your own.
The mother duck’s intense pain and heartbreak manifested itself as anger and aggression. Could it be that your own heartbreak manifests itself as anger? You mentioned that you and your husband aren’t getting along. If your heartbreak were manifesting itself only in tears and a long face, that would be pretty bad, but I don’t think that would (in and of itself) lead to arguments or tension. It would probably lead to your husband taking you out to eat more or doing things to cheer you up!
Given the details of the dream PLUS the details you shared, I think your subconscious mind is trying to show you something of the utmost importance. Many people, when they feel pain, loss, or sadness, lash out in anger. What’s worse, they usually hit a target that had nothing to do with the pain in the first place. Different people react to pain differently. Some people keep it all in, some “cry it out,” and some “lash out.” It seems to me that you’re probably crying it out AND lashing out.
Like the mother duck in the dream, you have been (and are) beside yourself with loss and unhappiness. My heart breaks for you, because the pain is obviously hideous!
I could point out that your daughters (or baby ducks!) are each within a car drive and certainly within reach of a phone call. I could point out that you’ll see them on birthdays, holidays, and probably many other times as well. However, when the heart is filled with sadness, words won’t heal it. Only time can do that.
You need time to see that this isn’t the end of the road, it’s just a different road. Much like the one you took in the dream. I think that’s yet another dream symbol.
I hope you’ll realize that, like mother duck, your pain was showing up as anger and, possibly, aggression. Hopefully no one ever felt like you’d bite them, but with us moms, you never know!!!
On my Self Help Blog, Self Help Daily, I actually write frequently about empty nest syndrome and things you can do to make the transition easier. I think you’ll find advice and tips there that’ll help you out. Please feel free to e-mail me again any time you want to just talk and keep your chin up. Life’s FAR too beautiful to spend any time looking down.
What Does it Mean to Dream About Being Hungry or Wanting More Food?
Here’s a recent dream submitted for dream analysis. The first effect the dream had on me, when I read it last night, was making me incredibly hungry for pancakes! (Guess what I’m making for supper…)
I’ve had a couple of really odd dreams recently and I hope you can tell me what they mean. My first dream was all about being hungry. I was starving in my dream and couldn’t find anything in my home to eat. So I got in a car, I don’t know who’s it was, and drove around town. None of the restaurants were open, so I went to a big grocery store. When I got inside, I realized that the food was fake food. I got into another car (again I don’t know who’s car it was) and drove to a different grocery store. I went in and saw that the food was real food so I got ready to buy some and didn’t have any money!!! I woke up feeling really frustrated and hungry. A few nights later I dreamed about pancakes. I made a big batch for me and my wife and daughter. We all ate and ate and ate. They both got full and got up to go into another room. I was still hungry, so I finished off the platter in the middle of the table. Even after about 20 pancakes, with butter and syrup, I still felt hungry, so I went to get the pancake mix box to make more and all of a sudden it was empty – but it had been half full only a minute before. I can’t help but think there is some connection with these dreams because I woke up feeling similarly frustrated in each. I hope you can help me figure this out so I don’t have another pain in the neck dream. Thank you.
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First of all, good call! You are absolutely right, these dreams are connected. Also, you did a great job of remembering how you felt when you woke up, which gives you bonus points! Dreams in which we feel hungry are about being unfulfilled. Generally speaking, there is something “missing” in the dreamer’s life that he or she “hungers” for. (Thirst dreams often have the same translation.)
This lack of fulfillment could be personal or professional. It could have to do with weight loss or gain, school, work, a relationship, progress in giving up a bad habit, or lack of progress in taking up a good habit. Only the dreamer knows for certain where he or she feels unsatisfied or unfulfilled.
Here’s something else: In your first dream, you “came close” several times. You found a grocery store BUT it had fake food (so worthless to an empty stomach!). Then you found a store with real food BUT you didn’t have any money with you to pay for it. In your second dream, you “came close” again. This time you had the food. You ate a good deal and wanted more BUT the box was empty.
These “close calls” indicate that you have probably come very close to fulfilling your heart’s desire, but somehow didn’t quite make it. Your subconscious mind remembers all too well how close you came! I believe these dreams are:
- Your subconscious mind crying out for what it’s missing.
- Your subconscious mind reminding you that you can make it happen, if you stick with it.
Best of luck to you and, again, KUDOS for for your dream smarts!
Dream Journals and Dream Symbols
I always, always, always recommend that my readers keep a dream journal.
Dream analysis is utterly fascinating and the best way to get ALL you can from the experience is to keep a dream journal. Even if the dream seems unspectacular and commonplace, you should write down the details.
For example, in your dream journal you should include the following information:
- How you felt during the dream.
- How you felt when you first awoke.
- Who was in the dream with you.
- The predominant colors in your dream.
- Any dream symbols you recall
- The date
- VERY IMPORTANT: Include a few words about how you felt during the day. I’ll tell you why in a minute.
You don’t have to go into great, lengthy details in your dream journal (unless you want to, of course!). You can simply write down a series of words and names. Just remember to include HOW you felt during and after the dream. You don’t even HAVE to have an actual dream journal, you could most definitely use an old notebook! However, don’t use random loose sheets of paper. Why? They’ll inevitably get lost and unorganized. What you’re looking for is a pattern. You need to see what dream symbols you frequently dream about and what people show up often in your dreams.
You also want to watch for situations or emotions that recur in your dreams. Do you often lose things in your dreams (a sign that you feel overwhelmed)? Are you often mistreated in your dreams (a sign that you feel like a victim)? So, as you can see, it will greatly benefit you to have your dreams chronicled in a very organized and ordered manner.
Why What’s Happening in Your Life at the Time Matters
You want to include what’s going on in your life at the time of the dream. For example, if you’re feeling stressed at work, write it down! You’ll be able to see what sort of dream symbols and situations occur when you’re dealing with stress in your life. Also… and this is pretty cool…. you’ll often find out exactly WHAT or WHO is causing you the most stress! If you have recurring “frustration” dreams and a certain co-worker consistenly shows up in them, he or she is a source of your stress and frustration. It could be one small thing they do (or fail to do) that irritates you or it could be every single thing about them! On the other hand, the stress could possibly come from the fact you don’t know how to handle or deal with them. Only you will know for sure.
The thing is, the dream journal and your entries in it will give you a great place to start looking for the root of your stress.
Emotions we feel during the day impact our dreams like nothing else. If we experience FEAR during a movie, for example, we’ll probably face it again in an upcoming dream. That’s why we always say, “I dread my dreams tonight!” after seeing horror movies. We know all too well the fear factor will rear its ugly head again!
The same is true with other emotions. If we feel angry or annoyed, something will probably happen in our dreams that angers or annoys us. It’s as though our dream tries to sort out the strong emotions by “acting out” similar scenarios. Also, if we’re feeling particularly close to someone, we may have dreams that are very pleasant, positive, and even romantic.
This is why it’s so important to jot down a few words about how you’re feeling in “the real world” at the time of the dreams.
I hope you’ll strongly consider keeping a dream journal. The benefits are amazing and, trust me, you’ll have a really fun time!
The Bedside Dream Journal: A Nighttime Memory Book, shown at the top of the post, is an excellent dream journal. It’s available on Amazon for just a little over $10.
What Do Lost Dreams Mean?
Here’s a recently submitted dream for dream analysis:
I’ve been dreaming a lot lately about being lost. A few nights ago I dreamed I was in a town I used to live in but I didn’t recognize any of the restaurants or stores. I didn’t know which way to drive because nothing looked familiar. I knew it was the town but it just looked different. Last night I had a similar dream but I was in my aunt’s house. The rooms were different and each time I went through what I thought was the right door, it led to another room. I kept going in circles and just couldn’t get out. I’ve read where you say that you can tell a lot about the dream analysis by how you felt during the dream and after waking up. You’d think I would have been frustrated in these dreams and after waking up but I wasn’t. I enjoyed driving around and seeing new things in the first dream and was even laughing in the second one. I’m just wondering what’s behind these dreams! Thank you in advance. – Lara
Lara, I have actually had similar dreams at different times in my life. Ironically enough, the first dream you described is alarmingly close to a dream I once had. I dreamed that I was driving my daughters around a town that their father/my husband and I lived in when we first got married. Some things were the same but a lot was different. I had no idea where I was going! Like you, I didn’t feel frustrated, worried, or upset. In fact, in my dream, my daughters and I stopped and ate at an Arby’s (which the town didn’t even have!).
These types of dreams are simply your brain processing change or changes in your life. Given the fact that your emotions (during and after the dreams) were positive, I’d guess that these changes have been positive – or, at the very least, NOT terrible! My own dream came right after my family moved to a new home in a city. I was excited about the home as well as the city, so the emotions were all positive and upbeat.
Even when the changes in our lives are positive and desired, our brain still has to sort of wrap itself around everything and process what has happened. When everything else is, literally, turned off while we sleep, our brain seizes the opportunity to sort things out. When your own brain has finished processing the recent change or changes in your life, your lost dreams will, themselves, get lost.
Dreams About Throwing Money Away: What They Really Mean
“I had a dream that has me pretty worried. I dreamed a few nights ago that I had been given a $50,000 check from my boss. I went immediately to some sort of store that I’ve never seen before and blew every last penny on stupid stuff, I mean really STUPID stuff. Things I didn’t want and things I’d never buy in my real life. At the end of the dream, I was very sad and frustrated because I blew all the money and didn’t have it any more. I kept thinking, “I want it back. I wasted it all and I can’t get it back!’ What does this dream mean? I haven’t lost anything or anyone in my life recently. Does this mean I’m going to lose a lot of money or lose something or someone near to me? I’m a real wreck with worry!!!” – Rita
First of all, Rita, this dream isn’t an omen. Dreams don’t tell the future – because no one can really, accurately do that. This dream has a real, genuine meaning, but before we get to it – I think it’s a good idea to remind everyone that dreams aren’t, by nature prophetic. HOWEVER, they can point out situations or needs to us that’ll allow us to avert potential problems sensed by our subconscious mind.
Here’s the thing, our subconscious mind is much more in touch with what’s going on in our mind and heart than our conscious mind is. Our conscious mind has so many different things to process and take care of during the day. Too many things are vying for our attention! However, when we yield ourselves to our subconscious mind (such as in sleep or deep mediation), we give our subconscious mind a chance to speak up and have its say.
This is why dream analysis is so VERY important. If we can grab and hang onto what our subconscious mind tells us in our sleep, we can learn extremely valuable things about ourselves and our lives – things that aren’t caught by the over-stimulated and over-worked conscious mind.
In this particular dream, the dreamer (Rita) is getting a very clear and distinct message. This dream indicates that Rita is, deep down, afraid that she’s missing a great opportunity. I believe that her subconscious mind recognizes that she’s letting something slip by that she’ll later regret. This could be a job opportunity, a relationship, time spent with a loved one, a house, a car… basically anything.
Only the dreamer knows for certain what may be slipping away from her!
Rita, my suggestion would be to get alone someplace very quiet and private. Go deep into your thoughts and find this opportunity that your subconscious mind is afraid of missing. The dream symbolism is that you are “blowing it.” The fact that you felt so dejected and wanted so desperately to “get it back” indicates that we’re talking about time. This sort of dream is very common amongst parents who feel they aren’t spending enough time with their children. A lot of people have this sort of dream when they’re afraid they aren’t spending as much time visiting their parents or other family members enough.
The thing your subconscious mind is most afraid of losing seems to be TIME. Money and Time are often interchangeable in dreams and money is a commons symbol for time (after all, they’re each things we SPEND and the subconscious mind would have a difficult time symbolizing time, itself).
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