Dreams often serve as a reflection of our subconscious thoughts, emotions, and experiences. The dream you had as a child about approaching a man by the sidewalk could symbolize curiosity or a desire to explore the unknown. As a young child, you might have been processing feelings about safety, trust, or even the fear of strangers, which are common themes at that age.

The later experience of seeing the man in the photo who matched your dream could indicate a strong sense of déjà vu or a connection between your subconscious mind and reality, which many people report experiencing. It may also suggest that your mind was attuned to certain details in your environment, even if you didn't consciously recognize them at the time.

This could be interpreted in a few ways:

1. Intuition and Awareness: Your dream could reflect an intuitive sense of caution that you have developed over time, making you more aware of people and situations around you.
2. Symbolic Representation: The man in your dream might symbolize something larger, such as a fear of danger or the unknown that you were beginning to understand as you grew up.
3. Coincidence: Sometimes, dreams can align with real-life events purely by chance, and it might not hold any deeper meaning beyond that.

It's natural to ponder such experiences, especially as they linger in your memory. You might want to consider how this dream and its connection to real life made you feel at the time and how it resonates with your current thoughts or experiences. Reflecting on these feelings can often provide additional insights into what this experience means for you personally.