To come back or not?

A while ago, a fellow blogger (who no longer writes, sadly enough) had written a post about how final death was. It made me think. I was raised as a Catholic. Even if I went to church weekly (until the age of eighteen), I often thought that I didn’t really believe what the priest was preaching about. I hated the fact that it was always the same. Since I served mass as well, I basically knew the service by heart. Even now, whenever I hear a prayer, I know what comes next. I know my answers and the priest’s. Anyway, I digress. I’ve wondered about “eternal life” and what it meant really, and also about “resurrection” not only Christ’s but the rest of us as well… Since I’ve also always been somewhat curious, it was only normal that I would look into other beliefs. Buddhism has always attracted me; I like their philosophy. It’s not preachy. That’s the one thing I really dislike about the Catholic Church. And let’s not forget the guilt part. Argh.

From a very young age, instead of praying I would talk to my dead loved ones. If my grandfather had been there for me while alive, and took care of me, I thought it was only natural that I would address him when I needed protection or something else. I had a few “contacts” such as a favourite aunt, and in the last years, my father. I don’t know where they are, but I do believe they are protecting me and are listening to me when I need their support. I remember a cousin saying that “Little Jesus” would answer her prayers, I would think: “How strange to ask Him, He must be so busy and He doesn’t even really know her”.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always felt there had to be more to life than just this; I mean - we live, we die and that is it… A part of me doesn’t really care, and yet there’s a part that can’t help to think there has to be more. I’m not even thinking of “Heaven” and “Hell” where we go after our death, depending on the life we’ve lead, no I’m talking about this (life) being just a pit stop (or period of time) on a bigger journey. No matter where this trip will lead, it is quite a trip nonetheless.

What about you, do you believe that once we die it’s finished or that there is something else after? I kind of believe in reincarnation. I believe we are here to learn some things, to experience life and to become better people. For some lessons we need more than one life to understand, so we keep coming back until we finally do understand or learn what we’re meant to. I also believe in karma, but that one is a little touchier, because as we know karma is a bitch! Karma has no pity, no compassion. It has rules, and that’s that.

If you had the opportunity to come back to life and choose a time, a place where you would go, and how you would live what choices would you make? Would you go for something totally different or would you re-do what you know? Would you try to do it better or in a different way maybe? What would motivate your choices; you wanting to learn or your fear of the unknown? I really wonder… Please, do tell!