A newborn baby's cry

There are many religions that believe to a greater or lesser extent that the soul enters the body at some stage before birth. This can vary from the moment of conception to the moment before crowning.

Some believe that the soul has some lesson to learn or task to do and if the lesson or task is not completed or is unsuccessful they will be coming back fairly soon to give it another try and this could go on ad nauseum until they get it right.

Another belief is that the souls chose their parents – the people who will help them achieve this life's tasks. (Please remember this when you feel fit to be tied by something one of them might have done!)

Most agree that the soul is unaware of the lesson and has to rely on circumstances developing to give it clues. The soul knows before birth where it will go and what it must do but this memory dissipates throughout the baby years and a 4 or 5 year old child has reached the age of bliss. He or she is obsessed with playing and not even aware of the greater task in store.

Suddenly it hit me like a hammer blow to the side of the head. The shriek that a child gives at its birth is tantamount to its saying: 

"Let me go back … I have changed my mind!! It's much nicer on the other side. I don't want to be here!!"