A Death Visual

Courtesy: www.imgion.com

In a recent church sermon, the priest was preaching on the most celebrated topic - sin. Elaborating on that topic led to the sub topic called confessions. In an attempt to give his people a nudge at effectively looking into the well being of their own souls, he took us through a creative thinking process. He wanted us to close our eyes and imagine our own funerals while he described one.

Honestly, whenever I have been to a funeral, I have had my thoughts of what the dead might be going through. The most suffocating part, according to me, is when they close the coffin. So yes! Since I am a fan of new experiences I closed my eyes and decided to do this rather sincerely. I decided to imagine this one positively. Death after all is a visa stamp to another world.

So here goes, the excerpts of the priest's monologue and my visuals...

Priest (P): So there you are suddenly gasping for breath, fainting and falling. People lift you into a car and rush you to a nearby hospital... you are in the ICU with doctors all around an unconscious you. While they are contemplating on various possibilities of recovering you, diagnosis, etc. you are in conversation with the angel of death... the angel says that your time has come...

Picture in mind (PIM): Me on a hospital bed, totally ignoring the chaotic environment, as I was involved in a pleasant conversation with a cute looking angel.
Me (feeling all elated and humbled): Oh my! You must be an angel?"
Angel (in a calm voice): Yes I am. I'm a messenger sent to tell you that your time's up. You need to come with me now. Don't be scared.
Me: Oh no! I'm not scared. So, umm, is my destination finalized?
Angel (smiling): I know what you mean and I can imagine the zillion questions you have right now. But no, your destination isn't revealed to us. We are given orders to take you to this house where you'll be made comfortable till your results are out.
Me: RESULTS? Ooh they have always made me uneasy...
Angel: Don't worry. We can't change anything now, can we? So you ready to go?
Me: I am so grateful you came to take me today. You know? I mean, of course you know! It was my son's daughter's first holy communion today morning. So all my loved ones are here. We were just about to retire into our beds when I felt kinda dizzy and stuff.
Angel smiled all the more.
Me: It's courteous to say a bye. They teach us that in families, schools and catechism classes, here on earth. I've heard you don't give us a chance at that. But do you mind if I just, you know, go around and say my good byes?
Angel: Well yes you can. It's just that I don't think they can hear or feel you... But, you can kiss them all good bye.

That's when I realized that I was like a genie outside the bottle by then, floating freely. I turned around and looked down at my face for one last time. It wasn't all that bad after all!

The angel was right. None of them could hear my good byes. But I did hug and kiss them all. And off we flew...

Coming back to the priest. He was still in negotiation with the angel of death... Like I mentioned before, I had decided to keep my thoughts positive. Mine's going to be peaceful and when I have no debts or regrets whatsoever.

P: You are there lying still in the coffin in the courtyard of your house...

PIM: With all due respect, how could I possibly be in the coffin? I am outta that body Reverend. I was in the room set for me and I could see what was happening below. I was nervous about my results but it was sheer bliss seeing my loved ones shed a tear for me. It filled me with pleasure that they were thinking of all the good times they've shared with me. It's hilarious that there's this crowd who is but forced to say only good things about me for a while. Sometimes social pressure is nice, I guess.

P: What does the priest say about you in the funeral sermon? Is it about your good deeds or is he just making a general death sermon?

PIM: I get the pun. But I am the organizer at my place, all the time. I expected the priest to just give a general sermon, not that I am bad person. Ooh! But it was kinda personal. Looks like my brothers got an orator priest and all of them gave their inputs. That was sweet. Muah! Thank you all!

P: They close the coffin.

PIM: Good news people! It's not suffocating in there, because you ain't in there anymore. Yippe! I loved the lovely bouquet that decked up my coffin lid. It had a combination of yellow and white lilies tied up with violet ribbons. A fancy coffin lid - that was a surprise!

The choir in our church sings the death rhyme to make the creative thinking as effective as possible. I found myself smiling and singing along...

P: Did that feel uneasy? It may have for most of you. But, my dear brothers and sisters, death is a reality and we don't know the time - so repent today!

Me (in thoughts): Repent? Yes. I will always do. Uneasy? No way! In fact a few doubts that I had, got cleared. Of course, I didn't see my 'results'. That's OK. I'll wait on that. I have yet a lot of tests to face. However, I liked what I saw and in time I'd like it to be just the way I imagined it. Amen! :)