does not appear, but instead we encounter a vague feeling
of being  reminded  of something. It is as if a dream were
delicately  balanced   on  the  edge  of   the  mind,  almost
about  to  roll into view.  We need utmost care  to tease it
into consciousness,  for  it  is  as  if  the  slightest jerking
movement might  jar it back into oblivion.  Here again we
find  a use for the art  of retrieving  such  fleeting images,
for  the phenomenon  is so subtle  that it is  likely that we
overlook many  interesting  instances because of our lack
of attention.

The Daytime Attitude Toward Dreams

   Our desire to encourage  spontaneous dream memories
is  just  one of  the reasons that during  the day we should
not   forget  or  ignore  our  dreams.  An often  neglected
aspect of developing a memory for dreams is the attitude
that    we    have    toward    them    during    the   day.  The
motivation that is necessary to our  remembering dreams
depends upon  our respect  for their potential value. If we
do  not  properly  value  our  dreams, our  motivation  for
recalling them  will slowly fade away. We must therefore
conscientiously  maintain  an  attentive,  devoted, curious
admiration   for   our  dreams.  This   particularly  fruitful
attitude  toward  our dreams  is difficult to express either
in theory or action.
    Perhaps  we might say  that  it is  as if our dreams were
the appearance of an  elusive, would-be lover. We cannot
demand   that  she   do  our  bidding  or  conform   to  our
expectations.    Even    though     she    may   frustrate   or
disappoint us,  we dare not criticize her mysterious ways.
So we allow her to come in any manner  that she will and
we  are  grateful  when  she  visits  us. What other  way is
there to win such a lover?
    Another  analogy  may  be  helpful  here.  Suppose  that
dreams  were  utterances  of  an  infant learning  to speak.
We are delighted  at  baby's first words. Even  though  we
can only guess at what he may be saying, we do not scorn
or  ignore him—nor do we doubt  his potential for future
eloquence.  Instead, we  applaud his efforts,  and,  by  our
attention, encourage him  to continue speaking. We  even

156