Returning to the world after death

I’ve always thought about what happens when we scatter a little of ourselves across the Earth. I have had my hair cut in Tokyo, have clipped my nails in Norway, watched my blood flow from a wound halfway up a mountain in France. In my first book, “The Archives of Hell” (which has never been reprinted), I speculated about this, as if we felt we had to sow a little of our own body in various parts of the world, so that in a future life, something would be familiar to us. I recently read in the French newspaper Le Figaro, an article by Guy Barret about a true story which took place in 2001, when someone took this idea to its final conclusion.

It was about the American Vera Anderson, who spent her entire life in the town of Medford, Oregon. In old age, she was the victim of a cardiovascular accident made worse by emphysema of the lungs, forcing her to spend years in her room connected to a balloon of oxygen. As if all this wasn’t enough of a burden, Vera’s case was even more cruel, because she had always dreamed of going round the world, and had saved up in order to do so in retirement.
Vera managed to be transferred to Colorado, so that she might spend her remaining days in the company of her son, Ross. There, before making her final journey - the one none of us return from - she took a decision. Since she would never get to know even her own country, she would travel after she died.
Ross went to the local notary office and registered her mother’s will: when she died, she wished to be cremated. So far, nothing unusual. But the will went on: her ashes were to be placed in 241 little bags, which were to be sent to the chiefs of the mail services in 50 American states, and each of the 191 countries in the world - so that at least part of her body would end up visiting the places she always dreamed about.
As soon as Vera departed, Ross fulfilled her last wish with the dignity one would expect of a son. Each parcel carried an accompanying letter asking for a laying to rest worthy of her mother.
All the people who received Vera Anderson’s ashes respectfully obeyed Ross’s wish. On the four corners of the Earth, a silent chain of solidarity was formed, along which unknown well-wishers organized diverse ceremonies and rites, always taking into consideration the place the deceased woman would liked to have known.
Thus, Vera’s ashes were scattered on Lake Titicaca, in Bolivia, following the ancient traditions of the Aymara Indians; on the river outside the royal palace in Stockholm; on the banks of Choo Praya, in Thailand; at a Shinto temple in Japan; on the icecaps of Antarctica; in the Sahara desert. The brothers of a charitable orphanage in South America (the article doesn’t say which country) prayed for a week before casting the ashes in the garden - and they then decided that Vera Anderson should be considered a type of guardian angel of that place.
Ross Anderson received photos from the five continents, from all races and cultures, showing men and women honoring his mother’s last wish. When we see such a divided world as today’s, and think no one could care less about each other, this last journey of Vera Anderson fills us with hope, knowing that respect, love and generosity still dwell in the souls of our fellow men and women, however distant they may be.

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Four Jewish stories

What makes me suffer

Rabbi Moshe de Sassov gathered his disciples in order to tell them that he had finally learned to love his neighbor. They all thought that he had had a divine revelation, but Moshe denied this.
- In fact - he said - this morning when I went out to do some shopping, I saw my neighbor, Esther, talking to her son. She asked him:
“Do you love me?”
The son said yes. So Esther went on:
“Do you know what makes me suffer?”
“I’ve no idea,” replied the son.
“How can you love me, if you do not know what makes me suffer? Try to quickly find out all the things which make me unhappy, for only then will your love be impeccable.”
And Rabbi Moshe de Sassov concluded:
- True love is that which manages to avoid unnecessary suffering.

What pleases God

On the Torah’s day of joy, Ball-Shem’s pupils celebrated, drinking the master’s wine. The rabbi’s wife complained:
“If they drink all the wine, there won’t be any for the ceremony,” she said.
“Put an end to the party,” replied the rabbi.
The woman went to the room where the pupils were drinking. But as soon as she opened the door, she changed her mind and went back to her husband.
“Why didn’t you do anything?” asked Baal-Shem.
“Because they danced, sang and were so full of joy for life,”, replied his wife. “I hadn’t the courage.”
“You have understood: this is how God receives the gratitude of his people - seeing they are content. Go there and serve my disciples more wine,” concluded the rabbi.

The sealed lip

The disciple of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov went to him:
“I cannot talk to God.”
“This often happens,” said Nachman. “We feel that our lips are sealed, or that the words do not come. However, the simple fact that effort is needed to overcome the situation, is a beneficial attitude.”
“But it is not enough,” insisted the disciple.
“You are right. At such times, what you must do is look up and say: “My God, I am far from You and cannot believe in my voice.”
“For, in truth, God listens and always answers. It is only we who cannot speak, fearful that He is not paying attention.”

The prayer of the flock

Jewish tradition tells the story of a shepherd who always said to the Lord: “Master of the Universe, if You have a flock, I shall look after it for free, for I love You.”
One day a wise man heard this strange prayer. Worried that it might offend God, he taught the shepherd the prayers he knew. But as soon as they were parted, the shepherd forgot the prayers; however, fearful of offending God by offering to tend to his flocks, he decided to abandon completely all conversations with Him.
That same night the wise man had a dream: “Who guards the Lord’s flocks?” said an angel. “The shepherd prayed with his heart, and you taught him to pray with his mouth.”
The following day the wise man returned, asked the shepherd to forgive him, and included the Prayer of the Flock in his book of psalms.

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“Warrior of the Light, a www.paulocoelho.com.br publication.”