As we have lived our lives and crossed pathways with numerous people and places, we’ve all had a strange experience or two along the way. How you reacted, who you were with, and where it happened, makes you…you.
When we all think about these experiences, you must wonder, was it a DeJa’Vu moment? An incident that you’ve had this encounter with someone before, or it seemed you had been someplace before? Or maybe it was something else that was just a weird occurrence or otherworldly ghost? Or…could it have simply just been your imagination?
As a 10-year-old growing up in the late ’50s and ’60s, everything was about atomics. Atom bombs, drills at school (yeah, right! Like hiding under your wooden school desk was going to save you from an atom bomb explosion!), and of course, the increase in Hollywood movies and TV programs
dealing with science fiction.
You might remember movies such as “The Blob,” “Them,” The Day the Earth Stood Still,” Forbidden Planet,” “Earth VS Flying Saucers,” and of course “War of the Worlds.” And if you really liked science fiction as a kid, you were reading Robert Heinlein’s books such as “Red Planet,” “Starship
Trooper,” “Have Space Suit Will Travel,” or “Space Cadet.”
With those references in mind, I had one of my own experiences. As our family was coming home from church one night, it was dark and moonless. We lived in the country so, there was no city light pollution glow. It was just plain, old, dark.
I had been reading one of the aforementioned science fiction books earlier in the day, and of course, my 10-year-old active imagination was primed. As I got out of the car and looked up at the night sky, I noticed blinking lights and exclaimed to my brothers, “Oh my God! Spaceships! Look!” My older
brother brought me back to reality with a simple, “David, it’s lighting bugs!” Naturally, we all had a good laugh, albeit at my expense.
So, what was your strange experience? I bet you can recall without much prompting. I’ve had several during my years. You’ll remember who was with you, where it happened, and all the details. That personal experience is what makes you…you!