"I am obsessive, also I am industrious. Besides, the time when you are most alive and most aware is in childhood and one is trying to recapture that heightened awareness"

This quote by Edna O'Brien talks to the idea of recapturing a sense of increased awareness that is often connected with childhood. O'Brien suggests that she is both compulsive and industrious, which could be viewed as a way of trying to recapture that heightened awareness. This could be interpreted as a desire to go back to a time when life was easier and more meaningful. O'Brien's words suggest that she is searching for a way to restore the happiness and innocence of childhood, and to be more aware of the beauty and marvel of life. By being obsessive and industrious, O'Brien is attempting to recapture the sense of awe and appreciation that she experienced as a child.