Early Childhood

Metford, Newcastle - My parents were bulding their first house, so when we moved in the yard was still a bit of a mess. There was nothing I would love more than going through the dirt pile trying to find bits of clay. It astounded me that dirt could keep a shape that you put it in!

The me experience - I can't remember exactly when this occurred, but I think it was before I started going to school. One day I woke up to a strange new feeling. The only way I could describe it to myself at that time, was that my "soul" had come into my body. It was as if someone else had been looking after my body up until that moment.

I have been talking about this with Mum and Dad, and we think perhaps it was the consolodation of my personality. Interestingly, Mum had a similar experience as a child, where one day she felt as though she was waking up from a dream. All her life beforehand felt like a dream and now it was real. Mum said she became much more aware of her own mortality aswell, toning down her adventures somewhat. Dad had no recollection of such an event himself, but says Oma and Opa had noticed a time when one year he would be fearless in the ocean, then the next year he would barely dip his feet.