On Saturday night (11/17/12), Anne and I had the joy of Cameron's company at our weekly Saturday night dinner at Chicago for Ribs. The dinner included Anne's mother Mary, ("Grandma Mimi") but not Fay Ward who had to cancel at the last moment because of a nose bleed that took her to the hospital.
Cameron ate an excellent dinner and was well behaved. Afterward, I took him to the toy section of Target so he could select a present for himself and one for Carina. We had a good time there and as I began driving him back to our home, he suddenly switched our conversation to death, as his voice turned serious and a bit fearful.
He said he was afraid of dying and didn't want to die. I told him I hope he lives a very long time and that I would like for him to have a happy life. I also explained to him that death is a part of life and he wanted to know how that could be.
I told him that death is just a transformation from being a soul in body, to becoming a soul out of body. That we don't really die at all. I told him that there are many well documented cases of people dying from an accident, and then are quickly brought back to life by doctors and other medical practitioners. After these people came back into life, they described what they saw.
They saw themselves out of body and were greeted by others, as they began to feel peace and love. Often they watched from slightly above or close by as doctors and other medical professionals worked to bring them back into body in this life.
I also told Cameron about a television program, a documentary, I saw 15 - 20 years ago in which an Irish woman in the early 1940's passed away from a disease. But she wanted desperately to remain in this life to care for her small children.
It turned out that she was reborn in the early 1950's in England and even as a very young child, she recalled elements of her prior life, including her first name and even sketched the neighborhood street where she had lived in her prior life and could recall some of her children's names. Her mother had kept the sketch and kept notes of what her reborn daughter said.
As a young woman, her daughter returned to Ireland and tracked her children down. At first they were skeptical of her claims but her memories were extensive and she convinced them of the authenticity of her claims. The show ended with them having bonded, as she also lived her current life.
I told Cameron that the Buddhists and Hindus believe people live many lives, much as this woman had lived at least two lives that we are aware of.
But I also explained if people do live long lives in body, eventually their bodies begin to wear out and they grow frail and sick. I referenced Grandma Mimi's older sister Margaret, who had just passed away at the age of 94.
I explained to Cameron that for a long time, Margaret was very active in her life but as the end approached, she was blind and deaf, barely able to get out of bed and that although she had been as tall as Grandma (Anne, who is 5 feet, 4 inches) at the time of her passing, Margaret weighed just 80 pounds.
I told Cameron that death was a blessing for Margaret for it removed her suffering and allowed her to return to spirit free of a body that was in great pain and that she no longer had a good quality of life..
He asked questions as we talked, but it was clear he understood what was being said and was no longer fearful. I explained that what I had shared with him were my beliefs based upon the many things I had observed and that I hoped it had comforted him. By the tone of his voice I think it did.
I said the greater issue is not death but to have a life unlived. And I told him that many people have such lives because they are afraid to pursue their dreams, and then they are sorry when their lives in body come to an end.
I encouraged Cameron to pursue his dreams and to make the most of his life. And I told him I hope he lives a long and joyful life, filled with love and happiness. At that point, we arrived home and he jumped out of his protective car seat and went into our home ready to greet his mother, Anne and Carina and play with his new toys.
Dick
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