My 'other' Mummy And Daddy

I was a weird child. So many had said it who knew me and in my dad has published stories on this site touching on some of the things that happened when I was little. I thought it would be good to elaborate on some of the events he mentioned.

I have heard many stories of young kids who mention life before birth and seeing various paranormal entities. It makes me wonder, is it because they have a wild imagination at this age? Or is it because they are more attuned to the paranormal world and different realms?

I was only around 2 years old when I started coming out with what seemed like impossible knowledge. Of course, being that age I can only remember so much and some of the things I am told by others who knew me at this age, mainly my Mum, Dad and Gran. All who told me their own versions of what I did and said when I was a child and they all said the exact same things.

From early on, and I'm talking as early as I started speaking, I would talk of my 'parents' funeral and where they were buried even though both my parents were very much alive and my answer to this was that 'I mean my other mum and Dad'.

In my pushchair we would go past a church into Saltcoats town and I would state to certainly that 'I cried for my mum and Dad in there'. According to both my parents I would say I was dressed in black.

It is very strange that a child, before they know very much at all about the world, can tell you about what a funeral is like. I had certainly never been to one at that time so it was very strange for me to have that knowledge.

Going on the bus to Irvine town I would point to Stevenson cemetery and say 'my mum and Dad are in there'. Without understanding that people were buried in there. People on the bus would hear me and my mum would be trying hard to smile about and give it the 'The things kids come out with can be so crazy' approach.

My mother was quite freaked out by this. And how could anyone question her? I always had a problem with my 'mum and Dad' coming to get me or 'take me away' and I would sometimes literally hide. It worried her.

If I try hard to recall this myself, I do remember feeling real fear and what felt like real memories. There was nothing strange to me about talking about having another set of parents although I never truly understood how imposible this was. To my memory at that time, I could swear I had 'other parents'.

One particularly memorable time was when my mum and Dad (the living ones) went to the movies and my Gran babysat me for a few hours. I am very close to my Gran and still am to this day and always felt very safe with her.

On arriving at her house I would do my usual, playing with toys she had there for me etc. I loved my grans house.

After a while, I felt I had to get out of the living room. I remember seeing faces at the back window of the living room and to me, they were looking in at me. It terrified me. I had never done this before and felt like a fish in a bowl, so exposed to whatever was looking in at me and no matter what my Gran did to console me... It wasn't enough.

I hid in the kitchen away from all possible view from outside. I remember her asking me

'Why are you hiding in there'

'My mum and Dad are at the window' I said.

My gran must have thought it was a game and sort of left me to it. I didn't come out for the entire time until my mum and Dad (the alive ones) came back to collect me.

'Why are you hiding in there?' My Dad asked me whilst I was wedged between two kitchen cupboards.

'My mum and Dad are looking in the window at me' I said, still hiding in the kitchen corner.

My dad was puzzled but very used to this by now and tried to reassure me by telling me that my 'mum and Dad' are here in the house and definitely not going to hurt me.

'No, my other mum and Dad' I said so surely.

It was like they had come back for me and wanted me back with them or something. I didn't get particularly good vibes from my 'other parents' either if I remember right. The thought sends chills down my spine to this day and is still very much a topic of conversation at get-togethers.

I also had talked about a memory of being born. My mum laughs at this and I realise how silly it sounds and probably impossible. But somewhere deep down in my memory I feel I can remember coming out into the world from darkness and instantly knowing who my mum is and the hospital sheets and the smell of the hospital. Just like tiny snaps of being new into the world.

Was little me seeing my parents from another life? Or was it just my imagination? It's something I ponder quite a lot and would love to know the answer to.