Personal Narrative: I Believe In The Afterlife

Cozy coffee shops, warm summers, friendly hugs…1.2.3. Disastrous events occur all the time. We are always aware that someone, somewhere in the world, is hurtling forwards into tragedy. Tragic endings leave behind unanswered questions, unfulfilled dreams, unspoken thoughts. Those who love you are left behind, in the dust of your presence, spent to forever remember only your memory, not your existence. Crisp slices of toast, piping hot cups of tea, fresh strawberries…1.2.3. We all tend to forget an end exists. We spend our lives compiling as many happy memories as we can, fully enjoying the good days, deeply mourning the sad ones. When tragedy strikes, only then are we reminded that the end is there, and we scurry and try once again to make the most out of

The remorse grey morning awaited. I never knew one person could have such an impact on my life, as well as everyone else’s lives. I always thought everything was just a beautiful fantasy land where everything was perfect. Waterfall coming out of everyone's eyes filled my imagination of what one man can do to a crowd. I asked myself one question, “Why him, why does it have to be him”. The emotions, pouring out of meand I knew the fall of 2006 was gonna be bad.

Please, oh please let the words come. I sit, and stare, and type, and I backspace. No one will like it. My work is crap. Crap, crap, crap. I crumple my paper watch it fall. The clock taunts with its ticking reminding me of all I want to forget. It creates a beat; a song. Poetic chords and dismal notes ring in my ears. But no, this is thought I should avoid. I am great- better than great. People will love this. Oh please, please, please let them love this. Will my legacy amount to nothing more than abysmal hope? This is the last time I think of it. Oh please don’t let me think of it. The blank page stares at me and I begin to write. One word, then another, then another, and another. You will never know what comes out onto the page until it is

I’ve always wondered what death feels like, finally coming to the point in your life where everything stops. Is it just a sudden silence? What does death taste like, what does it look like? People say that you can have a near-death experience, but I sure as hell haven’t ever had one. None of that “Life flashes before your eyes” B.S. I mean sure, I’ve had a few bumps and bruises, and a couple times I’ve come home anything but sober. I’ve never really come close to dying or death in general, well not until that day in the woods.

Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

NYPD Standard Operational Procedure when anyone is transferred: The next day they must report in civilian attire to Health Services Division to take a Drug Screening Test. I was fuming about this involuntary transfer to Internal Affairs in the elevator when it reached the eight floor. Not familiar with Health Services Division, preoccupied by still really being pissed off, I followed a small group into a meeting room with about twenty seats. As I sat down I suddenly noticed these guys didn’t really look like cops. When one of these weird individuals said to me “I ain’t crazy, no matter what they say, I wanna be a cop and I wanna a gun.” I was momentarily confused.

As a Christian I do believe in the afterlife because God’s states in the Bible he will rescue all of his people. No I'm not saying I believe everything stated in the Bible, but what would be the point of doing God’s work if it doesn't result to anything? Growing up I learned there is always a bigger picture then we sometimes can see. I feel like as a Christian if you just sit back and actually think, you would realize God wants us to follow and live by his word for a

After much consideration my husband and I have decided that Michael will not longer be attending The Reason For Hope effective immediately. I welcome the chance to sit down and talk with you should you choose to discuss the situation. It was not easy to arrive at this decision but it has been a long time coming. We have been increasingly more uncomfortable with your program in recent months for the reasons below.

The night had been long and difficult on both my mind and body. Every time I closed my eyes, I remembered that if those rogues had chosen, I'd have died in my sleep. Every noise I heard; the creaking of trees; snapping of twigs; shuffling of leaves, and I was sure the rogues had found me. Each time, I'd sit up instantly, weapon in hand, ready to fight to the death, and each time nothing happened, nothing came charging out of the gloom to end my life.

Some people are born with talents, others with brains, and some with beauty. However, I would like to think I was born with all the above, but most of all I was born with the innate gift of serving others. While growing up as a preacher’s kid, I witnessed my father help others by empowering them, motivating them, and praying for them. Observing how supportive my dad was of others I thought I want to do the same thing, but I knew I did not want to be a preacher. Growing up as a beautician’s daughter, I watched my mother improve others by building their self-esteem, being a listening ear, and sharing knowledge when necessary. I recall looking at my mother thinking I want to be that type of person when I grow up. I lacked the talents and creativity

Brittany was said to seem cleared eyed and peaceful. Yet she still wanted to end her life. I don’t think that people should be able to take their life if the still have six months, that’s a lot of time. Also what qualifies a doctor to be able tell someone if they should or should not be able to take their life. However, I do think that at a certain point where the body is completely broken down and the person can do absolutely nothing they should have an option to end it. But if you allow every person that has a hard time be allowed to apply to “die with dignity” you will have a lot of dead people on your hands, no matter how many check points you put in place. People have a way of getting what they need.

I don't know what to answer when faced with the question of whether or not I believe in the afterlife. To be quite frank, I don't have a definite answer to give, as I find myself constantly turning those same type of questions over and over in my mind. What would it be like to die? Which way would I choose to go? What happens after? Day after day I hear the murmur of the questions in the back of my mind; pushing back the answers I might face, too scared to deal with what my mind might come up with. Honestly, I hope there is no afterlife. Add all of that to the fact that I have never been a very open person to begin with, when anyone would touch on the subject of religion and afterlife I would normally just end up saying something the other

I spent from kindergarten to eighth grade at a Catholic school. I learned about both the Bible and the Catholic faith and never saw them at odds with each other. After eighth grade I attended Wayne Christian. I was shocked at how uneducated these Christians were on their fellow believers, claiming that the Catholics were not Christians. I try to dispel their ignorance with education such as explaining the Catholic perspective on Saint Mary, sainthood, and certain rites of the Church. Day after day I corrected them on Catholic beliefs, me against a whole school of people. I eventually had to leave the school because the people were to set in their ways. That is when I challenge something that outraged me.

When I am asked what I believe I am usually puzzled on how to respond. Growing up in a small town in the middle of the Bible Belt, it can be difficult to tell others that you are not Christian. And I'm not. I was raised in a household with a father who went to church his whole adolescent life but as he got older he lost his faith. So he and my mother wanted to raise children in an Agnostic home. Because of this I never went to church (except for a few times with my grandmother) and I didn't realize what it meant to be Christian. I may not fully believe that there is a god but this I believe.

I do have a will. It was kind of awkward asking my brother about it being my children's guardian. After we started talking, he said he was going to ask me the same thing. That was a relief. It is nice to finally have something on paper just in case. It's hard to talk about, but a fact that most adults put off.