Wednesday, November 17, 2010

A Rainy November Day...

Hey...Today's title is better than "It was a dark and stormy night..." right?!

I received news from a dear childhood friend that one of my high school classmates just passed away. It has been reverberating throughout my being ever since. "I knew him when." He left behind a wife and daughter and many many friends. I would say it was unexpected. First of all, I am so sorry that he left. Secondly, since we are/were the same age, it tends to beg the obvious question. I am so not ready. I am guessing that neither was he.

Is this all just a random sequence of events or is it pre-planned? I have spent the better part of my adult life searching for those types of answers. From metaphysics to quantum physics; from questioning (nearly all) religious beliefs via sorting and sifting; bouncing from one class to another in search mode; reading, reading, reading; researching, researching, researching; asking those tough questions. I am no closer to definitive answers now than I was when I began. I have not had a "being" appear out of seemingly nowhere to announce to me that there is life after life. Add to that, the said "being" has not led me on a learning expedition to show me that we have karma to work through and soul contracts. Are we or are we not in control of our own destinies? Is it a simple fact that "shit happens?" I have book shelf after book shelf filled with tomes that speak to these very issues. Not one of them tells me that "shit happens." They are all filled with testimonies and promises that this lifetime is one of many; we are here to learn; we have free will and often goof up, but we can right the wrongs. There's so much more, but this is where my head, heart and (hopefully) soul are spinning thoughts around the passing of my high school classmate. I really hope that he is able to watch over his family and gets to watch all of his friends at the celebration of his life. I have no idea what his beliefs were (are?) but I have a feeling that he is, in fact, with them.

Happy Trails, Tommy.