I remember having hallucinations a very young age. I thought those images I saw in my mind were real. I thought my imagination was coming to life. I thought everyone saw the same mental pictures of things that could only come out of a story book. My hallucinations were real as photo in an album. When I was about 6 years old, I was praying at church and I looked up. There was Jesus hanging on the giant plain cross of my church blessing me. I could see the texture of his robes, and the softness of his face. He seem to glow from the inside out. He spoke to me, assuring me everything would be okay. I remember feeling calm, but curious. I wondered why nobody else in church saw this life sized figure on the Cross hanging above the alter. I think it was then when I realized, not everyone’s imaginations came to life like mine. It was a that moment, I discovered I was somehow different. I never spoke of my hallucinations that would eventually torment me. I’d see monsters, evil clowns, various cartoon like animals and shadows, ton’s of shadows flying all around me. I heard voices that were so loud, I was sure they would wake the dead even when I was alone in a room. I didn’t understand why I was different from my friends. I didn’t like being different so I pretended to be just like my friends. I got pretty good at pretending to be normal. I found relief when I was finally diagnosed at age 40. I no longer had to pretend, my secret was out in the open.