Life after Death - why are we so impatient?

So awhile back I posted an entry about reading people's minds and funerals - what I find interesting is that that particular entry has received over 2,000 hits. So I thought to myself..

Why?

Is it that we are so interested in the unknown?  What could possibly on the other side?  What is the curiosity about the next phase in our existence? All of these questions are valid and I am sure are asked by many on a daily basis. 

Take the first  - Why are we SO interested in the unknown? - Today our society is one of instant gratification, Finding out an answer in a matter of seconds - you all know what I am talking about - when you are out to dinner with friends or family and you are talking about that certain movie or actor and you want to know how old they are.. we have all done it - so you get out your smart phone (well except my mom, she has a flip phone and is very proud of it.) and you look up the information. Why? Because you couldn't wait. The idea of not knowing and finding out immediately is now a part of daily life. But when we talk about death and what happens after it - well that is a different story.. or is it?  ( Just think about that for a few minutes) 

Now let's take the second - What could possibly be on the "other side?"  Ah .. the afterlife, the next stage - for those who believe that there is a next phase in our existence are "dying" to know what it is.(I can't believe I made that joke.. OK, yeah I can.).   It is our fixation on 'what it will be like'  - There are those who have 'died' and have come back from death  - and many have had after death experiences.  I was curious as to what types of after death experiences people have  - so what did I do?  A search on "after death experiences." My search came up with over eight million hits. EIGHT MILLION!  I have read a number of stories of what has happened when they have encountered a death experience - both good and bad - 

It is the curiosity of that unknown.... which leads to our third - 

What is the curiosity about the next phase in our existence?

I think that many of us are hoping it is easier "there" than here.  The struggle, pain, sadness will all be gone. But is that a true reality? We just don't know. How many of us feel that our lives are being judged on this plain?  That what we do here on this earthly plain will effect the next phase of life?  Maybe for some. For some they believe that the buck stops here - and when we are done living here, that is it. I am not saying that any of these thoughts are wrong or right - I am just putting it out there.  

And who or what exactly chooses it for us?  Is it our soul's path that leads us to the next portion of our existence on another plain? Did we choose our soul's path prior to existing on this earthly plain?  

ah.. so many questions.. so little coffee left in my pot.. OK.. 
off to make another one!

Please chime in and let me know what you are thinking!

Peace, love and coffee..

Me.

ch ch ch ch chaaaanges!

Change.. ah that word.. Change.   Some embrace it with excitement like a kid on their birthday, others look at change as a wall, a horrible thing or something to stop them to do what they really want to do.   Well recently, where I sing, we have had a change. The Pastor with whom I have worked on and off with for a really long time was sent to another church.   Now when he first told me, of course it was right before a funeral (how convenient), but he was in shock, I was in shock - and to be honest, it did not seem real. Oh but it was. When he told the congregation what was happening - the people of his "flock" if you will, were so sad.. there were many tears. But what he told them was so important.  That this church is their church - they are the ones that make up the fabric of the parish.  Also, he said, "if you followed me to my next assignment, then I would not be doing my job" and indeed he was right again. So the month went on and indeed he moved to the other church.. and then, we received our new Pastor.  

None of us were sure what to expect. What I was told was that he was a great guy and the funny thing I found out was he was a parishioner at my first church job. Then, from there,  he went to seminary and tada.. he was ordained.   Funny thing about the ordination, I was told I sang that ordination - yeah I so don't remember that - but apparently there a pictures.. we shall see. 

So the day comes where I get to meet him.  What a lovely man.  Has a real sense of community and humor.. oh man, humor.  This guy is a prankster. He has already "punked" our director of music.. Here is the story, we are sitting in the kitchen of the rectory and the Pastor says to me - "You know for my installation, there is this cantor that is going to come all the way from Portugal."  So I respond  - "Wow, that is awesome - I look forward to working with her"  He then said " I have a video of her if you want to see it."  So you all know I totally want to see this video, thinking she must be pretty good  -   This is what I saw:

 

At first, I was not sure how to respond, but I could not help it, I just start to laugh, knowing he was kidding.  I said to him, have you showed this to Gene (our Director of Music)? He said.."No, not yet I am going to text him right now and tell him to come to the kitchen." So Gene comes over and the Pastor once again says - "You know Gene there is this Cantor, from the Parish I help out with, that is coming all the way from Portugal for my installation. I just wanted to show you this video so you could figure out what music she could sing." So then he begins to play the video.  I was trying so hard not to laugh, to keep a straight face. And Gene, in his best diplomatic voice said, "Sure we can try to work with that." Well at this point everyone in the kitchen was laughing.  Gene was laughing so hard, his face was red.  He originally thought when he received the text because something was wrong, and he felt like he was being called to the principal's office.  But we all had a great laugh over this.

Yes we are going through changes.. but that is life and we should all embrace it.  Especially if it is full of laughter. 

Have a great day everyone.. 

Peace, love and coffee..
M-

I'm sorry, I don't take reservations...

After you have been doing this for a long time, you kind of get a reputation. Mine is singing one heck of a funeral.. especially Ave Maria. So one day at a picnic this sweet older lady said in casual conversation - "You know I  have planned my whole funeral and you better be around to sing!", Alrighty then.. well then what exactly is the right response? 

 - Uhm... thanks?  
 - Thanks for letting me sing for you when you are dead? 
 - Thank you for thinking of me while you plan your funeral?   

As you can imagine, this conversation could go in so many directions because this actually happens quite a bit. Usually I laugh it off and say, "Oh that won't be for a long, long time -" and then I change the subject.  Is there an appropriate thing to say other what I am saying?  I didn't think so until I spoke to a friend of mine  
who happens to be a priest (go figure), and as I was talking to him about it one day..  he said that his reply is "Oh that is very sweet, but I don't take reservations.."  What a great response -  very light hearted and yet he does not get sucked into the "death talk" which I would think would be hard for a Priest to hear over and over. 

So now, when someone is talking to me about their impending funeral  - which is probably years away, I say... we shall see.. because I don't take reservations!  

What would you say?