DEAD DEAD
I can't recall ever having thought of the subject of the intensity of death until our most recent Halloween celebration. The actual process of dying has always, to me, had a certain finality about it that causes reflection and thoughts concerning it's actuality as being somewhat “moot”, as legally- oriented folks might prefer to put it. “Now,” whenever that might be, “is too late.”
Even that excellent seer concerning many of the mysterious ways the human mind can work, “Garfield”, met with the problem when he met a ghost-person at the bar drinking in lonely sorrow because “he”, “she” or “it” had lost the ability to scare people. The ghost sipped and groaned forlornly: “ I wish I was dead!” Garfield, in sympathy, put his paw on the shadow and said softly: “I don't know exactly how to go about telling you, but ....”
Garfield underlined something for me which I had read earlier that witchday which said in plain text: “Ghosts don't know they are dead.”
Halloween's ghosts are not, you see, null and void. They don't consider of themselves as being empty, vacant, shadowy or non-existent.
And, at about this point you must be asking what the heck all that
have to do with anything?”
Right, but I was struck rather sharply by the idea that continuing shades of some of Mankind's great ideas and concepts live in a shadowy, non-substantive manner. Just because a concept or idea for a change didn't work out the first time someone believed it would, does not mean it is finished ...done ...or dead. We are living in an ere when this sort of wish-think might prove to be more important than ever before. Medical and other scientific study has changed the potential life span of humans far beyond our wildest projections.
Halloween is thought of as more or less fun-filled parody of an early holy day time. It is fashioned for kids, for chronic jokers of all levels, b but - deep down - I often sense an accumulation of fears, fancies and foolishness perhaps religious in nature. Listen carefully and you will find that someone will ask you if you believe in ghosts.
The inquiry is often disguised as humor. The questioner is hesitant to put his or her thoughts into words. Many seem to think they are being critical of their religious faith and they feel in tensely uncomfortable when phasing such a query.
I am thinking about this subject at an age level which allows me to cite an opinion based on more-or-less a full century of experience on a first and second-hand basis. I'm not quite that old, but my memories put me in touch with beliefs my parents and others must have used to answer my questions about spirits and strange occurrences
When people ask me if I believe in ghosts, I do not say “No, of course not.”
Let's just sit out here on the limb with each other!
Is that okay with you?
A.L.M. November 1, 2004 [c509wds]
