Most of you know me as a "freethinker". I have my opinions, but I'm open to new ideas if the evidence is sound.

Well, I just read a book that blew me away. If the librarian hadn't urged me to check it out, I would have ignored "Soul Survivor". You might be familiar with the story, because it was featured on ABC's Primetime several years back. (I didn't see it.)

This little 2 year boy, James, still in diapers and barely talking in complete sentences, began having nightmares screaming and yelling out about an airplane crash: "Plane on fire! Little man can't get out!" These outbursts became a regular thing. Even while awake, something would trigger a memory, a name, an event. His parents were dumbfounded.

In the years to follow, James would draw detailed pictures of WWII air battle scenes, signed by "James3". His father began serious investigations. His Christian beliefs on "after-life" were being shaken. His discoveries made him (and me?) a believer in reincarnation!

This little James WAS another person, a pilot, James Huston, Jr. (hence, James the third). He had every little detail of his friend's names, the planes and ships, sisters, implanted in his head. His "sister" was now 84 yrs old. When they eventually met, it was..... well, you'll have to read the book.

I'm still rather stunned and perplexed by this true story. I've heard about this sort of thing before, and have been curious about how, for example, a person can suddenly speak a language unknown to him. But over time, I've forgotten or dismissed these tales of the mysterious. Now, after reading a whole book on such an occurance, I'm rather persuaded (if not convinced) that there is something to these events. Perhaps it's time to pursue the paranormal. That means exiting my world of scientific reasoning. As Ricky said to Lucy, "There's some 'splanin to do".