In Death, We Find Life

Finally he slowly opened his eyes and smiled at me. He beckoned me with a hand motion to his side. His voice, dry and hoarse, spoke barely above a whisper when he said; "Good morning sunshine" his usual morning greeting as he took my hand in his. "You know honey, I feel great today but there is something I have to tell you" He paused a moment to catch his breathe. His eyes briefly turned towards the window, the sight of sunshine put a smile on his face as he turned his attention back to me. "I could continue to go on like this for days if I wanted too, but I have decided that it is not fair to anyone, including myself if I keep this up". He had to pause another moment, working hard to release a deep sigh before he continued on, "besides, I am getting tired and I need to be released from this pain". He slowly released a smaller sigh before he went on to say, "So, I have decided that today is the day I am going to die".

My bottom lip was quivering uncontrollably and my eyes were stinging from the tears I was fighting to hold back as he said the words, "I want you to phone the family for me and tell them to come as soon as they can". Having struggled to say that, he closed his eyes again and did not watch me leave the room with streaming tears of grief falling silently from my cheeks. Within the hour, the entire family was assembled in his hospital room as requested. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the faces of his wife, his four daughters, two perspective son in laws, and three other very close friends of the family who wished dearly to say good-bye.

One by one, my father took turns breifly talking to each person privately, then as a group, saying his good-byes and giving last minute advice. Still, despite the reason we were assembled not one person was prepared for what was going to happen next. When he was done speaking he was exhausted and closed his eyes for the last time. We circled his bed, rubbed his hands and feet, stroked his forehead, and moistened his lips with a wet sponge as an act of love and comfort ~ for it was all we could do for him. Within a half hour of his final good-byes, my father was in a coma. One hour after that, we stood silently and watched as he took his last breath before departing his mortal body for his final exit. He chose his own departure time, and now he was going to go Home.

Naturally, the family was devastated and completely overcome with grief with the loss of the patriarch of our family. But in the back of my mind, I kept remembering what he told me about the last time he died and how liberating it was. Knowing he was no longer in pain and was on the Other Side should have been a comforting thought for me, but it really wasn't at the time. Instead I was feeling angry and hurt.

That is when it dawned on me that the grief I was feeling was entirely for myself. He was taken from me ~ I was the one left behind ~ the pain of his absence was unbearable, for me. As for my father, I knew his spirit survived the demise of his body and he was in a far better place then the hell on earth we live in. It would be totally selfish of me to want him back in this thick, heavy, negative, atmosphere of us earth bound spirits when he is living freely in the loving protective environment of God.

Now, I was beginning to understand that my father's death ultimately helped my spirit grow. With the knowledge of his experience and attitude towards death he shared with me his last few days, he was teaching me the reality of life eternal. I have spent all these years researching and exploring this subject I have learned a great deal of valuable information. First and foremost I now understand, our original and natural state of being is spiritual when we are Home ~ where we already live an eternity and will continue to live in eternity. While on earth however, we are spiritual beings traveling inside a temporary mortal body with an expiry date and there is no question that life does go on once this vessel expires. A spirit can not die.

Second lesson I learned; when our time comes, (and let's face it, everyone's does) the only baggage we return Home with is our knowledge and experiences. Which, by the way, is the only reason we choose to be born on earth in the first place ~ for the knowledge and experience we can learn from a negative atmosphere such as earth ~ that we can not possibly learn in the perfect state of being we exist in on the Other Side ~ where negativity and the dark side of human emotion does not and can not exist. Ever.

Third, everything we face in our life, big or small, happy or sad, is a learning experience for us and meant to teach us to grow and learn in our own personal ways ~ even death. We work off each other and our lives are entwined with all the people we know for specific reasons all directed towards the spiritual learning and enlightening process. Some lesson we learn are harsh, and some we just don't understand. Especially in the case of a lost loved one, despite their age. But all lessons are vital and it is important we learn to deal with them in a rational, reasonable, and spiritual way. And not let the brutality and negativity of this world consume us instead.

The death of my father changed my life forever. I have learned through experience and education that our loved ones who have gone Home before us, can see us, and do communicate all the time. They love us dearly, but they do not miss us. Why? Because spiritual life is eternal, meaning no concept or existence of time as we know it. What may be years to us on earth, relatively speaking, could be seconds or minutes on the Other Side. As far as our loved ones are concerned, they know that we will be back Home with them "any minute know". So there is no need to miss you, you'll be Home soon too.

Even with that in mind, upon request, consciously or subconsciously, or by a need, wish, or desire, our loved ones do pay us visits from the Other Side. They often come to celebrations, for they love happy occasions, but they also come to us in comfort and aid as well. They make contact in several ways and try to leave us clues to prove they are still present and active in our life. Even if we aren't aware, do not doubt, your loved ones are there. And they always will be. So if you sense a departed loved one around in spirit from time to time, you are probably right, they are there to say hello, I'm fine. See you soon.