Our class went on a one night camping trip this weekend- mom was against it, but dad convinced her that this would help me build character. We roasted marshmellows and sat around a huge bond fire- everything felt safe and for once in my life I felt at home. I guess by being away from our normal lives, away from the school and our houses, we all felt like free spirits. Everyone was laughing and talking with each other regardless of our past histories with each other. As I was looking at the flames of the fire, I had one of those 'memory flashbacks.'
Almost every night, when I was about 4, I experienced a 'bad dream". One night I'd be imagining myself running away from ghosts with pitchforks, getting closer and closer to the edge of a cliff. Another time I was being kidnapped by people in black masks and shoved into a truck. I was even a pirate's hostage once, just about to 'walk the plank'. And every time I awoke startled and crying my eyes out. Mom would come into my room and kindle a small fire in a coffee can outside and tell me to jump over it. I use to think of it as a fun game that mom and I would only play at night, but its not until now that I realized the real situation that was going on. Mom isn't very religious, but she does have her superstitions. For the Chinese, it was believed that when a child has a bad dream, they must jump over fire to scare away the 'bad spirits.' I'm not sure whether this is true or not but it does make sense in some ways because dad once told me that bad spirits can induce bad memories or fears into someone's mind. Now when I look at my family, I think we are more spiritual that religious...
I think its weird how childhood memories can be arosed back to someone's mind by just a small action. Hopefully, when I get old, I will be able to remember my overnight stay at camp.
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