Friday, February 08, 2008

Memories


Today is my birthday. As a kid birthdays were important, then as the years went by they mattered less and less. Now I am much older they have become important again. I guess it has something to do with the sense of achievement in having made it thus far.

People say I look good for my age. That is because I was born at a very early age and have remained young ever since. That’s me in the picture above; the earliest picture I have of myself. Taken in 1936 the year I was born.

I have a memory from about the same time the picture was taken. I know that sounds strange or even impossible, but this memory has always been with me throughout my life. I even have memories of having this memory throughout my childhood. So I know I didn’t imagine or dream it in later life.

My memory is of being with my mother; we were outside and it was a bright sunny day. My mother was standing at the end of a garden, holding me, sitting up in her arms. We were looking over a hedge into another garden.

The most likely assumption is that this was at the back of our house in Surrey, England, so therefore we were looking into a neighbor’s garden. Someone some short distance away was calling “Coo-eee, coo-eee.” My mother was saying to me, “Look, look over there.” She was pointing at the same time.

In part of this memory I was in this little body (The one you see above.) and part of the memory I was out of my body, about fifteen feet to the left, and slightly elevated. I was looking at myself in my mothers arms.

This is the only ‘out of body’ experience I have had, it has never happened since. I can still picture the scene now as I write this. I could hear this person calling, “Coo-eee,” and I watched myself, my head was straining forward to look and listen. My eyes big and round, and my head kept jerking this way and that every time my mother said, “Look, look over there.”

Suddenly, I was back inside this little body, looking out. I can even remember my thoughts at the time. I was thinking, “Who the fuck is calling Coo-ee?”

Now this in itself is interesting, because obviously I had not learned to talk at this time, much less learned the “eff” word. However, I have come to realize that memories of thoughts are in words, and even though I couldn’t talk back then, I have since added the words to describe the feeling of frustration at not being able to see the person calling out to me.

Language is both the gift, and at the same time the curse of human kind. A gift in that I can retain a memory such as this, and even share it with others. It is also a curse in that we tend to hold on to the bad memories and relive them, along with the accompanying emotional pain.

A friend of mine recently had a heart attack at age 40. He knew there was something seriously wrong, and called 911. When the ambulance arrived, he walked out of the house and then collapsed. His heart and breathing stopped, but the paramedics revived him.

He has since made a full recovery, and was recently telling me of the experience. He described an ‘out of body’ experience where he was off to one side and slightly above the scene, watching himself and the paramedics as they revived him.

His experience sounded exactly like mine; convincing me still further that it actually happened. It matters not that you believe my little story, but that you found it entertaining. It will always be real to me.

The weather forecast today calls for sunny skies and temps in the 60s, here in South Carolina, much like the day I was in the garden with my mother. I will be going out for a bike ride later; burn off some calories and make room for cake.


25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dave,

We share a birthday....well, same day, different year!

Have a wonderful day and keep up the great blog stories.....

Anonymous said...

Enjoy the sun and happy birthday. To many more,
Jack

Daniel said...

Happy birthday, Dave.

Your fan,

Dan

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday, Dave!
Enjoy the ride, feel the breezes and savor every moment.

-- Jim

db said...

More wishes for a happy birthday! Great story about the early memory. I have some of those, too.

spokejunky said...

Happy Birthday. Now go ride the bridge or Wappoo Road.

warthog said...

Dave,
I was thinking about doing an mtb ride today but, in honor of your birthday the right thing to do is to take out my Fuso instead. Have a great birthday.

Anonymous said...

coo-eee baby coo-eee

Ron George said...

Dave,

Happy birthday.

Anonymous said...

I too have a birthday today! Seems you have a pretty special readership. I enjoy your blog a great deal and hope you stick with it.

Happy Birthday, Dave!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Dave. Enjoy the ride and enjoy your day.

Now...who the hell was saying "coo-eee?"

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday!

A mild day in February in the low country is a great time to ride!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Dave!

Best wishes,
Bob Gong
Granite Bay, CA

Anonymous said...

Thanks to share your knowledge and memories. Happy birthday!

Renato

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Dave!

@realjanmaaso said...

Happy birthday, Dave!

Jan

imabug said...

happy birthday Dave

eugene

Ed W said...

Happy birthday, Dave! Enjoy it!

Anonymous said...

It wasn't a person. It was a bird, I believe there is some folklore about this bird (catbird?) and how children interact with it.

I'm sorry. I'm short on specifics but when Dave described the sound and the sensation similar memories flooded back for me.

Happy birthday David. If we are the only ones to know this feeling even briefly it motivated us to fly. May we both fly more.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Dave! In honor of your B'day I'll take my Fuso out for a good hammering this weekend here in sunny So Cal (77 degrees forecast tomorrow).

Marla said...

Happy Birthday, Dave!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Dave!

-- Paul

Anonymous said...

Dave,
"Enjoy another piece of Birthday cake or drink on me!"
When rested, "Off and On!"
'Off' that couch and 'On' you bike!
Event next Sunday here at the Beach, time to pedal ...
(MASI on my blog page.)

lancewrite said...

Happy Birthday Dave

lemmiwinks said...

Great story Dave. I hope your friend who had the heart attack took up cycling ;-)