Magic of Believing

“airplane crash on fire - little man can’t get out”

James Leininger was fascinated with airplanes.  He was actually quite the expert, especially with WWII planes.  One day he received a model airplane as a gift, to which his mother noted the bomb underneath.   "That's not a bomb mommy, that's a drop tank". 

James was 2 years old.

Now you have to understand, that according to his parents, Andrea and Bruce Leininger, James had absolutely no exposure to anything involving planes or WWII.  His bedtime books were the same books that most 2 year olds go to sleep with, and his daytime television consisted of Barney and the Teletubbies. But even his crayon drawings showed the same theme:  American WWII planes being shot down by Japanese Zeros, with details down to the insignias. 

Where was James getting his information?

What's even more remarkable about this story are the dreams James had.  Or should I say nightmares.  Just after his 2nd birthday, James started having the same recurring nightmare several times a week.  His parents would find him flat on his back, screaming  “airplane crash on fire - little man can’t get out” and pushing upwards with his hands and feet.  Concerned, Andrea asked her mother for a clue as to what may be happening.  Her mother suggested he may be remembering a past life.  Her husband, a devout Christian, replied, "Baloney!".  

Regardless of his beliefs, Bruce agreed to allow an expert in the field of Children's Past Lives, counselor Carol Bowman, interview little James.  Immediately the nightmares decreased in frequency.  And, as the dreams faded, more memories bubbled up to the surface.  And with more and more details popping up, it did indeed seem that little James was remembering a past life, where he was a WWII pilot.  James told them his previous name was also James.  (In fact, he signed all his drawings (at 2yrs old) with the name James 3.  When asked about the number 3, little James would simply say, "I'm the third James".)

He also remembered that his plane had been hit by the Japanese and crashed.  He also told his father that he flew a Corsair, and that -  "They used to get flat tires all the time."  James also mentioned the name of the boat he took off from — Natoma — and the name of someone he flew with — "Jack Larson."   Determined to debunk this story and stop all this nonsense about past lives, Bruce began to do a little research.  What he found, is nothing short of amazing.  

Bruce discovered that both the Natoma and Jack Larson were real. The Natoma Bay was a small aircraft carrier in the Pacific during WWII.  And Jack Larson was part of a squadron that flew from the Natoma Bay - and he was still alive and well living in Arkansas!  After contacting Jack, Bruce learned the news that would change his beliefs forever.  That their was indeed a pilot from the squadron who was killed at Iwo Jima - and his name was James. 

James M. Huston Jr. 

"It was like, holy mackerel," Bruce said. "You could have poured my brains out of my ears. I just couldn't believe it."

Andrea and Bruce also discovered that little James remembered having a sister Ann, who - big surprise - was also still alive - and just as shocked as everyone else.  The 87 yr old said she believes the boy's accounts. "It's very hard to describe, but I just can't help but say it has to be true," she said. "He knows too many things. For some reason, he knows these things." 

For example, Ann gave little James a portrait of James Huston.  James and Ann's mother drew the painting when they were small children.  After thanking her, James asked Ann, "Where's the one mother painted of you?"  The painting, as it turns out, was in Ann's attic, where it had been collecting dust for over 60 years.  And the only 2 people who knew that it even existed was Ann ............ and her brother James. 

Unbelievable?  You bet.  But if you do a little research on your own - you'll soon realize that this is just one of hundreds of stories involving little children remembering their past lives.  

This just reinforces my own belief that we are in fact, more than just a body.  Remember our physical body only amounts to 1% of 'who we are'.  The rest - that invisible 99% of us -  is pure thought and energy.  And that energy never dies, it just changes form.

Kind of gives a whole new meaning to the teacher's great words when he said we must be 'born again', doesn't it.