I'M GONNA LIVE FOREVER

In 1980 there was a very popular movie called, “Fame”. I remember the theme song played in this movie. This song eventually did become a musical hit and thereafter played in almost every radio station. I was in Korea for three months doing engineering Nuclear Power design work at the time. They played this song over and over again in a Korean radio station that I usually listened to. The first few lines go like this, “I’m gonna live forever. I’m gonna live when I die”.

Does man continue in an afterlife at the moment of death? I personally believe they do. The fact is, most people in this world believe in an afterlife. Most people believe man’s spirit lives on forever. My reason for believing starts with my belief in God. Who is this God? When I was very young, I remember a story about a boy digging a hole along the sea shore. The boy went to the shore line, carried a spade of sand and placed this sand in this hole he just dug. The boy repeated this routine over and over again. An old man sat nearby curiously watching this boy’s actions played over and over. The old man was fascinated why the boy was doing this several times. So he asked the boy how much sand he would place in the hole he first dug. The boy replied that he was going to put all the sand in the ocean in this hole. Surprised, the old man replied, “Child, you will never be able to put all that sand from this ocean in that hole”. And so the child answered, “This is easier than you trying to figure out Who God Is.”

Being part of the human race, I too ask this age old question. “Who is this God?” To begin with, I believe God did send a man we called Jesus Christ much unto like Himself. I believe God’s message to mankind is through the teachings of Jesus Christ. This is the credo of my life. Historically, Christ preached teachings such as the Beatitudes, “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justness, for they shall have their fill”….; and He taught us the Lord’s Prayer, in part with the words,”forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”; then finally He gave His life in a crucifixion experience, the purpose of which was to create a new world. The fact is, Jesus Christ also said each one of us could be like God too. And so why are we not? If only and if only we would live a perfect life, we would be like God too. The problem here as I see it, is most of us do not live perfect lives. Looking at all religions, I then ask the question, “Who else did God send to convey His messages to man?” I am not sure to how many others, besides Jesus Christ! Think about the different religious practices in this world man references to, in order to unite himself with God. Fundamentally I believe, devout Christians, Moslems, Jews, Buddhists, etc. live by similar principals. I believe any man inherently knows within himself what is morally right and what is morally wrong. Man continually makes these choices during his life time experiences when living in this earth. So therefore I ask myself the question, “Why do some of us constantly need to try to convert everyone else to our own religious beliefs?” In order to follow a true mode of life, I believe one has to make a transition from religion to spirituality. There is a world of difference living a spiritual life in contrast to just being religious.

Over thousands of years it seems likely most religions were eventually modified by man. Consequently, man has created all these fantasies that are included in most religious faiths. Much of the time man included all these add libs so as to gain political or economic power, or many times, just to be able to control the people within their own flock. Throughout history, man has suffered so much because of false religious teachings from these so called leaders of their religious faith. Recall all the wars mankind went thru in the name of religion.


Going back to my initial statement, “Why do I believe in an afterlife?” Somehow, I cannot reconcile myself to believing that after 78 years of my life experiences, all these would go down to oblivion; meaningless, swallowed in a black hole of voids. As a 9 to 13 year old child during World War II, I already ask myself this question. Was there a meaning to the sufferings of my own, my family, and countless other people some of whom lost their lives? Then there are the memories of, so far 45 years of marriage. Blissful happiness, sacrifices, and during the early years an occasional argument. Most fulfilling to me was learning the experiences of giving yourself to others. Are all these lessons for naught? More meaningful to me is my faith that God had been leading me all through my entire life. Even disappointments lead me to a new life much more fulfilling than I could have foreseen at the time. Also, as a member or the human race I also have had my share of paranormal experiences. In fact, a large number of the population in this world have them. More traumatic are those people going through an NDE (near death experience) .

During my hospice spiritual volunteer days, I recall a prisoner telling me about his fearful days during World War II. He narrated his supply carrying ship was sunk in the Atlantic, not once but twice on different occasions by German U-boats. While floating at sea hoping to be rescued during one of these episodes he said, “I saw Jesus Christ in front of me”. Who am I to say this 78 year old man, convicted of child sex molestation and now seriously ill and dying, just had an illusion. One of my own paranormal experiences involved my dad after he died of cancer. Two weeks before he died I decided to fly overseas and visit him. My brother and I kept night vigil in the hospital during the last week he passed away. I later shocked a close family friend when I informed this friend I was flying back to the states the very same day. My wife was alone caring for our new born daughter at the time. This incident happened while we waiting in the hospital morgue where my father’s body lay for the funeral people to take his body . Needless to say, on returning home, I started having disturbing guilt feelings on leaving so soon. And the memories of my own shortcomings during my growing up years with my father aggravated these guilt feelings. This depression ended abruptly when I dreamed he appeared on a family party gathering, radiant and young looking. He had an expression of sheer contentment and happiness. Not seeing him in the funeral parlor, I was surprised to be told in a family letter describing his funeral, that he was dressed in a dark navy blue suit. This was the same suit I saw him in my dream! Coincidence? Wishfull thinking or true spiritual communication? I am not sure.

I firmly believe my whole life has been guided by some spiritual source. Sometimes these events in my life seem to have negative meanings at the time. Years later, I would say to myself, “Yea, now I see it”. Thank you for leading me to this other road of heartaches. That road lead me to a better life thereafter. For many long years I was blind, but now I see.

Ask me the question again. Why do I believe in a life hereafter? It really comes down to a one answer. Faith!

I’m gonna live forever. I’m gonna live when I die. Remember! Remember!