What Happens When We Die?

[jawbone]

I think Terry Pratchett got it spot on in his Discworld books. When you die you get what you think you will get. Oh yes and you are accompanied by a skeleton with a cape & scythe riding on a pony but only because that is traditional.

[tamsmith]

I hope I get a Gold watch.

Or maybe that is when I retire.

[Reclaimedwg]

I have a good friend whose father was 90.

He was in World War 2: he landed in Normandy and served til the end of the war.

He just passed away last week.

For the past 2 years, he's been very ill with Alzheimer's and he's been at home under the care of nurses and my friend.

My friend stopped working and moved back home to take care of his father:

him and his father has always been very close being that he is the only son.

He has been staying up at night taking care of his father and he sleeps during the day when the nurses are there.

His father passed away last week during the day when my friend was asleep.

The nurse told my friend that his father asked her:

"Is my son sleeping?"

She said "yes".

A few minutes later he passed.

This is what my friend said to me in his email:

"One of the hospice RNs said that my Dad have waited until I was asleep to die. Knowing him, that is possible.

Some people believe it can be done consciously or not.

The Hospice nurses said my Dad waited for me to go to sleep and then he asked if I was asleep before he 'let go' "

What do you think?

Is it possible for us to consciously control when we die?

[otokonomidori]

Originally Posted by howerd

The universe doesn't care what you think.

Can the Universe "care" about anything ?

[theequestrian]

I personally think you become worm food and nothing more.

But, if we stipulate the validity of transmigration of the soul then I have a question - only partially in jest -:
How do we know that where the souls go (insert your belief here) is any better?
As opposed to the Heaven/Hell scenario (of which of course, there is no proof) isn't it just as reasonable to believe that your soul will be living on the 57th floor of a 60 story walk-up; working at St. McDonalds for $1.25 an hour and drinking beer that tastes like carbonated donkey piss?

[MisterMacky]

I die and wake up as Marla Sokoloff's bicycle seat.

[DTravel]

Originally Posted by wildtig2013

Is it possible for us to consciously control when we die?

I think it is more likely that we can choose to stop trying to fight for that one more minute of life. I don't mean that as harsh or heartless as it may sound. Your friend's father fought hard for a long time and knew he had reached the end, so he fought just long enough for your friend to sleep before giving up the fight.

Pass our condolences to your friend.

[neo2008]

Einstein said the energy we possess never really dies

[Reclaimedwg]

Originally Posted by DTravel

I think it is more likely that we can choose to stop trying to fight for that one more minute of life. I don't mean that as harsh or heartless as it may sound. Your friend's father fought hard for a long time and knew he had reached the end, so he fought just long enough for your friend to sleep before giving up the fight.

Pass our condolences to your friend.

Thank you Sir.

My friend's father funeral is next week.

He is going to get a Military funeral because he served in WW2 with honor.

I knew him well too.

My friend and I known each other for 15 years now:

his father and I had many discussions about life and business (he was a very shrewd businessman, his father used to do business with Howard Hughes) sitting in their backyard under a 100 year old Pecan Tree, drinking coffee or iced tea.

In the years I've known him, he took out his foot locker twice and showed me his souvenirs from World War 2 and told me about his war experiences and related stories.

I will miss him greatly.

I am going to his funeral too.

[Estreeter]

Originally Posted by tamsmith

I hope I get a Gold watch.

Is that so you can time how long you've been dead