Have you ever woke up not knowing where you are? This rarely happens to me, but last month when visiting a new grandson we stayed in a hotel. Admittedly, my husband and I reversed the side of the bed we slept on that night, but when I awoke, for a short time I was lost. It didn’t last long, and I knew where I was the second morning. Regardless, it was disconcerting for the time I couldn’t figure out where I was.

I don’t like to be lost. I doubt few people really enjoy that feeling. I’ve been lost when driving a few times, and it was hard on my sense of self, as I don’t usually lose my directions. Waking lost is entirely different. Usually it is in the middle of the night, in complete darkness. It is like waking to a bad dream.

Imagine how Eve felt that first day, waking to a world in which she had never been. There may have been light, but it was not a place she remembered. I suspect she didn’t even remember anything else. That would be extremely disconcerting. I have seen movies with people who were drugged not remembering. I doubt Eve was drugged. Something happened that she woke in an entirely new place. How strange it must have been for her. This was not a place she had been the night before then forgot about, this was an entirely new world!

I have imagined this, and wrote about it in my upcoming book, Eve Remembers. In the first paragraph I described what she saw. I suspect she doesn’t even realize this is all new. Does it sound like you imagine it?

“My first memory is green.
I opened my eyes to a world filled with green. Flowers of reds, yellows, purples, and oranges intermingled with green foliage. I laid there, my eyes adjusting to the light and color assaulting me. Noises filled my ears—it took some time to separate the different sounds. A large hand reached out, slipping under me, providing me support as I warily sat up. More wonders came into my field of vision. Creatures, black and white striped, yellow, black, gray, even orange and blue ones. So many shapes and sizes. I had no idea what they were called. A jumble of sounds came from them: squaws, chirps, brays, soft rumbling sounds, and loud barking sounds filled my ears.”–Eve Remembers (Angelique Conger)

How would you have reacted? I’m not sure I would have been as calm as she was. I’d love to hear from you.