57 · Anthropologist · Science, Religion, Magic

'As a teen, I met a friend every year in a park at midnight on Christmas eve. One time as we were walking, there was a flash of light, and I went away somewhere. It felt like outer space, I didn’t have a body and could not move, and time stopped existing. Then I came back. My friend and I looked at each other, and knew we had both experienced the same thing. We started running, and a torrential rain began pouring down.

'There was tension at home, and school was constant fear. I felt repressed, and wanted intense experiences to break out of my shell. I hitchhiked across the country, worked for a traveling carnival and odd jobs, and was homeless. When you are vulnerable, the system stops protecting you. Looking back, I would have done it more gently and avoid some of the trauma, and be more normal and stable today.