It really really really could happen

I went somewhere today that I'd not been to in more than 14 years.

St Joseph's Catholic Church in Port Talbot is where I used to go every sunday until I was 18, always dragged along by my mother. Well not physically dragged but emotionally I suppose. Catholicism never really had much of an attraction for me. I always believed of course but the way the whole thing was set-up.....put it this way - my mother told me until I hit the age of 18, I was to go to church each sunday.

And on June 11 1992 I legally became an adult. Guess what I never went back to.

Until today. Some distance family member's grandchild was being baptised (my mother's side of the family are more Catholic than the pope) and seeing as I had Alyssa today, I was asked to go along and I thought it would be nice for her to meet more of the family, especially the kids.

And what a wash-out it was. I've never been particularly close to many of my mother's side of the family and this afternoon reinforced that. So I've made the decision I should have made months ago. I'm going to meet everyone on my father's side. Sally's been about for more than a year and she's the key. She's the doorway to Porthcawl. Who knows who's out there? I've got to meet them all. Find out who they are.

It won't please everyone but I'm not letting that stop me.

Anyway, the church looked exactly the same as it has done for as far back as I can remember. I had all these wierd thoughts as I walked about in there, such as the last time I was in that place I had hair - I was working for the Police - Nim was around - I couldn't drive - all these elements of nostalgia came back.

Am I living in the past? Or the now?