I’ve always been fascinated with death and what happens on the other side AFTER we die.
Religions teach pearly gates, heaven and hell sorts of scenarios.
Some schools of thought say there’s a celebration, the likes of which we’ve never seen.
Others teach that the birth process is actually harder on our souls, since death is re-emerging back into the energy from whence we came.
Even the people who have experienced an NDE (Near Death Experience) are only allowed to go so far – turned around at a certain point, and sent back.
It seems no one with an All Access Pass has ever been inclined to leave the party and report back to us poor slobs, just exactly what’s going on over there.
That has always intrigued me.
I really liked one school of thought I heard many years ago, about a kind of life review process. No heaven or hell; just a movie.
Now if you’re my husband you’re thinking: Well, that sounds like hell, how long is it? Is there popcorn? Are there previews? Where’s my seat exactly?
Settle down big guy. (He’s actually had an NDE so he has NO fear of death whatsoever, as long as there’s no loooong, drawn out movie to sit through).
This is how it was explained to me: Just after you die, you watch a review, in the form of a movie of sorts.
It races past you, as an IMAX type of experience – and it is the Movie Of Your Life.
There is no soundtrack, actually there is no sound at all – there is only emotion.
You see, you get to feel the emotions you evoked in everyone around you. In every second of your life.
Wha-What!? Well, that’s just…horrifying!
Can you imagine? All the times you made someone sad, hurt their feelings, infuriated them, even made them cry?
We cause others pain during our lives, but I’m willing to bet that a good portion of it is unintentional.
The rude remark, the overheard gossip, the accidentally-on-purpose forgotten Valentine’s Day.
I was assured that we will all be surprised and shocked by the emotions we’ve unknowingly caused in those around us.
The cure for that is waking up. Be conscious of the “wake” you leave behind you.
Are you jackass? Cut it out – or be prepared to be appalled, your movie’s gonna suck.
I for one, intend to do better.
But the reason this whole concept is fresh in my mind these days, is because I was recently reminded that it does work the other way.
We can also cause someone JOY unintentionally.
Yes, we do that too!
Every now and again, someone will relay a story that will swell my heart with this unintentional joy; and I don’t have to wait to die and watch the movie!
Remember those Agapanthus stalks from my garden that I dry and put outside in a bucket marked “Free Magic Wands” during the summer?
If you’re new to the blog, I wrote about it here: http://www.theobserversvoice.com/2014/08/spread-your-magic-however-you-can-with-audio/
The other day one of the neighborhood dads stopped and asked me if I had any more of my “magic wands”. (I don’t, summer is over. I hand the magic over to Santa for the winter).
He went on to explain that his six-year-old son had tied one onto the handlebars of his bike, and had ridden around with it for months.
“It just disintegrated last week, which is why I’m asking.” he said.
“My son loved that thing; he told all his friends he was like Harry Potter, that he had a magic wand” the dad went on to tell me. “He sent all his friends here to get one.” (That explains why I kept running out!)
I just stood there, listening, picturing the wand working it’s magic in that boy’s life. Holy Cow. It felt AMAZING.
Go Figure. I had gone the whole summer clueless, basically doing it for my own amusement.
That’s just a little thing, but it really made someone happy – behind the scenes. We ALL have those, of that I’m certain.
Think about it. I wonder what YOU’VE done lately that unintentionally touched someone’s heart? A hand written thank you note? A spontaneous love text?
I saw a hipster dude stop and put down his coffee to help an elderly gentleman down some steps yesterday. It almost made me cry.
You may never know…until the movie!
I’m wagering that the ratio for most of us, good to bad, joy to sadness – is ten to one. I’m just that much of a Pollyanna.
NOTE TO SELF: Send a mental note to the cosmic editor of MY movie, that he can go ahead and cut that scene – I already felt it!
