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"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go they merely determine where you start."
– Nido Qubein
Struggling to control the jerking movements of my body as it fought against the bindings placed around me, coupled with the realization that I had literally just been reborn, it was safe to say I was more than a little shocked by it all.
I can't speak for everyone, but this could certainly explain why newborn babies cry so intensely after birth. The drastic change in temperature, the total lack of control over their bodies, and the immense awareness of being just reborn would cause any baby to cry their heart out.
That is to say if they, too, were reborn…
I had a strong feeling that not everyone had gone through what I had experienced, but if they had, then it was apparent that they did not remember being reborn. However, if memory serves me correctly, there were cases and records where children claimed to recall their past lives or even the circumstances of their death. This alone provided compelling evidence that reincarnation was indeed possible, albeit still difficult to understand why these memories could only be accessed at a certain age. The question then became, how was it possible to retain these memories? More importantly, how did I manage to remember my previous life so vividly?
I mean, sure, I was always fascinated by this topic — anything related to the supernatural or paranormal, actually — so it would make sense that I could recall this random tidbit that I somehow retained. But really — how was this even possible?
Why wasn't my memory wiped away so I could start afresh as a new human being? What purpose does it serve for me to bring the memories of my previous life into the present? Did I somehow bypass a critical stage of the reincarnation process? All that I can recall is floating around, observing the galaxy and this white vortex before I "awoke" into a warm, darkened space that I assume was the womb.
That would make sense wouldn't it?
It really made perfect sense when you think about it.
Like it makes perfect sense that I'm thinking about this rather calmly and thoughtfully while my surroundings was running amok. Somehow hyperfocusing on my thoughts had naturally caused a barrier to my physical existence but once I shifted my attention to my present, everything changed once again.
The uncomfortable prickle that had enveloped my body vanished, replaced by a much-preferred warmth. Oddly enough, being laid on this surface had a significant effect on my body. The shudders that had previously coursed up and down my body had almost subsided, and I would soon realize that it wasn't the surface itself that soothed me, but the sound emanating from it.
Lying on my stomach with the side of my head resting on the surface, the distinct sound of something familiar filled my ear - something strangely new yet comfortingly familiar at the same time.
Ba-bump, Ba-bump, Ba-bump, Ba-bump,
I recognized that sound, the steady tick, the gentle swoosh, the rhythmic beat - I was intimately acquainted with it as it had been the only thing surrounding me while I was in the dark. Though it was soothing, I never would have anticipated its origin: a beating heart.
A legit beating heart and not just any heart, but one that belonged to another human being.
My… mom?
It was as though, in response to my recognition, I felt something warm and smooth gently touching my exposed back as if unsure how to proceed. Then, something just as long and smoother wrapped around me, enveloping my entire body in a warm embrace like a comforting cocoon.
And then I heard it once more - not the beating heart, but the soft thrum of a voice that seemed to resound through the surface I was lying on. Curiously, the voice, like the heartbeat, had become familiar to me during my time in the darkness.
It was the voice, the voice of my angel…
Despite not being able to comprehend the words, her intonation spoke volumes. It was filled with nothing but pure, unadulterated love. The sensations and vibes that emanated from her were awe-inspiring, leaving me momentarily stunned as I listened to her speak. Despite not being able to discern individual vowels, let alone understand the language, the soft, tender touch she placed on the side of my temple conveyed just how much she loved me – a complete stranger.
I would be lying if I said I didn't feel anything for this person that I once considered my angel. But I was having a bit of a moment trying to consider her as my mother given how well I still remember my previous one. And at the thought of this, the memory of her, I felt my lips tremble knowing full-well I will no longer be able to see her.
You would expect that, after so much time, from the moment of my death until this very moment - or before my birth - I would have come to terms and accepted my transition from my former life. Yet, I hadn't. I haven't given myself time to mourn and much less bid a farewell to those people I loved.
I didn't have much time to even finish this thought when my ears were suddenly pierced by a high shriek that startled me so deeply, I automatically let out my first cry as someone pulled me away from My Angel.
