Art Buchwald, one of
America's favorite humorists, recently died
at age 81 after completing his book Too Soon
to Say Goodbye. Al Neuharth, columnist and
founder of U.S. Today, said of the book,
"If you think you might
die someday, it's must reading." Some
excerpts: "I don't know where I'm going. I
don't even know why I'm here!" "Dying isn't
hard. Getting paid by Medicare is." He
planned his funeral with a priest, rabbi,
and Billy Graham "to cover all the bases."
Great lines.
I applaud Buchwald for
his humorous treatment of death. It is
something we should laugh about since it's
just another stage amidst eternity.
However, his material reflects common
societal
misunderstandings and
concerns about the subject of death. The
title of his book, for example, reveals the
angst that people go
through when someone
dies. This pain is needless, though, when
we know that death is not a goodbye but,
rather, just a "see you later."
The joke about
'covering all the bases' shows the concerns
about getting to heaven and being on God's
good side. Funny stuff, especially since
much evidence suggests universal salvation
and an eventual enjoyment of heaven for
everyone whenever they're ready.
As for the statement,
"I don't know where I'm going. I don't even
know why I'm here!", these reflect common
existential concerns. Here are the answers
I've found to be most true:
- Who am I? An eternal
soul, an ageless being of energy, an
indestructible spiritual being who is having
a very temporary experience on planet
Earth.
- Why am I here? To
learn, grow, enjoy, and serve others. This
physical experience provides opportunities
for adventure and growth not possible in
purely spiritual realms.
- Where am I going?
There's no where to go. It's all right here
now. Here is no better than there when you
understand the nature of life. We're all
going through a series of experiences that
allow us to realize our oneness with Creator
and freely choose that union.
A vast amount of
collective evidence--including many clinical
and contemporary findings--proves that we
each really are
immortal spiritual
beings. This is the good news that sets us
free, that helps us make sense of what often
seems to be a chaotic world.
We can't stop the waves
of life frocrashing around us, but we can
learn to surf through them with courage and
style.
Truly, we each are
"soul proof", just as a watch is shock proof
or water proof. Our real selves do not die,
cannot be hurt, and
can handle any outward
circumstances with style. Life is indeed a
totally safe and magnificent adventure
amidst eternity.
My free bi-monthly
newsletters will help you know that truth
without a doubt. Life is immeasurably more
peaceful, joyful, and exciting when you know
who you are, why
you're here, and Who
always walks beside you.
God is throwing a
marvelous party and most people are afraid
to show up, let alone dance. With the
collective evidence that we each are
indestructible beings of energy, your life
can increasingly become a soulful dance, a
moment by moment celebration amidst
eternity.
You can deeply know
your true nature right now and live
accordingly, no matter what your outward
circumstances.
Please take a few
moments and forward a link to this web page
to all of your friends and family. Share a
hardcopy with those who aren't online.
That's just one way you can brighten the
corner where you are!
