I dreamt that I built a time machine and went back to when I was a teenager. Knowing everything I knew about the future I realized I could stay in the past as my 15-year-old self with the very first and probably only love of my life. I had to decide whether to give up the wife and kids I have now and maybe do it all over again with the one woman I could be happy with forever. I wasn't sure what to do, and the woman who was my first love did something that made me stay in the past, I felt horrible not to have my children in the present but that was it.
This dream likely reflects a desire for a sense of youth, nostalgia, and perhaps a longing for a different path taken in your life. The time machine symbolizes a desire to revisit a time when things were simpler or more exciting. Going back to your teenage self represents a desire to recapture a sense of innocence, hope, and potential. The dilemma you face in the dream - choosing between your current life with a family or a potential alternate reality with your first love - may indicate some internal conflict or dissatisfaction with your present circumstances.
The fact that the woman from your past does something that makes you stay in the past could reflect a feeling of being torn between past and present, or uncertainty about the choices you've made in life. Feeling horrible about not having your children in the present suggests that deep down, you value your family and may fear making decisions that could disrupt or harm your current relationships.
Overall, this dream may be prompting you to reflect on your current life situation, relationship dynamics, and the choices you've made along the way. It could be worth considering if there are any unresolved feelings or desires from the past that are influencing your present emotions.