1 An Out of Body Experience

You were on your way home — when you died. It was a car accident... Nothing particularly remarkable, but fatal nonetheless.

It was a painless death. The medic tried their best to save you... but to no avail. Your body was so utterly shattered... you were better off, trust me.

And that's... when you met me.

---

"What happened?, Where am I?" — You said, insensibly.

"You died," — I said, "Matter-of-factly. No point in mincing words."

"There was... there was a truck... and it was skitting." — You said, flustered and distressed.

"Yes."

"I... I died?"

"Yes..." — I confirmed, "But don't feel bad about it. Everyone dies."

You looked around, there was nothingness — just you and me.

"What is this place?... Is this... the afterlife?"

"More or less."

"Are you God?"

"Yes, I'm God."

"My kids, my wife..." — You said, upset.

"What about them?" — I inquired.

"Will they be all right?" — You said, worried.

"That's what I like to see," — I said cheerfully, "You just died... and your main concern is for your family. That's good stuff right there."

You looked at me with fascination... To you, I didn't look like God. I just looked like some man or possibly a woman. Some vague authority figure, maybe.

"Don't worry," — I said assuringly, "They'll be fine... Your kids will remember you as perfect in every way. They didn't have time to grow contentious of you. Your wife will cry on the outside... but will be secretly relieved. To be fair, your marriage was falling apart. If it's any consolation, she'll feel very guilty for feeling relieved."

"Oh..." — You felt upset... but relieved.

"So, what happens now?" — You asked, worried, "Do I go to heaven, or hell... or something?"

"Neither" — I responded, "You will be reincarnated."

"Ah... So, the Hindus were right..." — You responded in awe.

"All religions are right in their own way." — I informed, "Come, walk with me"

You followed along as we strode to the void.

"Where are we going?" — You asked.

"Nowhere in particular." — I responded, "It's just nice to walk while we talk."

"So, what's the point then?" — You asked, baffled, "When I get reborn... I'll just be a blank slate right?... A baby... So, all my experiences and everything... everything I did in this life, won't matter?"

"Not so." — I responded, "You have, within you, all the knowledge and experiences of all your past lives. You just don't remember them right now."

I stopped walking and took you by the shoulders.

"Your soul is more magnificent, beautiful and gigantic than you can possibly imagine. A human mind can only contain a tiny fraction of what you are. It's like sticking your finger in a glass of water to see if it's hot or cold — you put a tiny part of yourself into the vessel... and when you bring it back out... then you've gained all the experiences it had."

"You've been in a human for the last 28 years." — I continued, "So, you haven't stretched out yet. Neither felt the rest of your immense consciousness... If we hung out here long enough... You'll start remembering everything. But there's no point in doing that between each life."

"How many times have I been reincarnated then?" — You asked.

"Oh, lots... lots and lots... And, into lots of different lives." — I answered, "This time around... you'll be a Chinese peasant girl in 540 A.D."

"Wait, what?" — You exclaimed, surprised, "You're sending me back in time?"

"Well, I guess technically." — I began to explain, "Time as you know it, only exists in your universe. Things are different from where I came from."

"Where... Where you came from?"

"Oh sure. I came from somewhere... somewhere else. And there are others like me... I know you'll want to know what it's like there... but honestly, you wouldn't understand."

"Oh..." — You expressed a little disappointment. "But, wait. If I get reincarnated with other places in time... I could've interacted with myself at some point."

"Sure. It happens all the time." — I declared, "And with both lives only aware of their own lifespan... you don't even know it's happening."

"So... What's the point of it all?"

I looked you in the eye.

"The meaning of life... the reason I made this whole universe... Is for you to mature."

"You mean mankind?... You want us to mature?"

"No... just you," — I declared, "I made this whole universe for you... with each new life, you grow and mature and become a larger and greater intellect."

"Just me?" — You were astonished, "What about everyone else?"

"There is no one else." — I confessed, "In this universe, there's just you and me."

You stared blankly at me.

"But, all the people of Earth?" — You exclaimed.

"All you... Different incarnations of you." — I asserted.

"Wait, I'm... everyone?"

"Now you're getting it."

"I'm every human being who ever lived... or who will ever live?"

"Yes."

"I'm Abraham Lincoln?" — You asked curiously.

"And you're John Wilke Boothe, too." — I answered.

"I'm Hitler?" — you said, horrified.

"And you're the millions he killed." — I said unambiguously.

"I'm Jesus?" — you exclaimed.

"And you're everyone who followed him." — I added.

You fell silent.

"Every time you victimized someone, you are victimizing yourself, every act of kindness you've done, you've done to yourself. Every happy and sad moment ever experienced by any human... was or will be experienced by you."

You thought for a long time...

"Why?" — You said confused, "Why do all this?"

"Because someday, you will become like me..." — I began to explain, "Because that's what you are. You're one of my kind, you're my child."

"Wow," — You said incredulously, "You mean... I'm a God!?"

"No, not yet." — I responded "You're a fetus. You're still growing, once you've lived every human life throughout all time, you will have grown enough to be born."

"So... the whole universe... is...."

---

Soon, came light before your eyes...

"What happened?, Where am I?" — You said to yourself.

You are sweating profusely... and wondering whether it was a dream or an actual incident.

You take some time to realize where you are... and you begin to remember that you fell asleep inside your car.

Your heart's pounding with all that adrenaline rush.

"Was is it all... a dream?" — You expressed, "No, it cannot be"

You want to pacify yourself with a bottle of water, but all this has left you weak and trembling.