The idea of life after death, for us, for our animals, does not appeal to me. I am not walking over  any Rainbow Bridge to play with a bunch of border collies for all eternity.  I wouldn’t do anything so cruel and selfish to them, they deserve more.  For me, the promise of life after death is a distraction, it keeps me from appreciating the uniqueness and beauty of life right her and right now.

This is the moment I am living, this is my time. If I think that when I die Maria will be there and I will live with her forever, I might not appreciate the wonderful moments, the significant and lasting moments, that I share with her here on earth. The same is true of the animals that I love with, of my dogs.

Every moment is unique, precious, if I am conscious of it, if I am awake and open to the moment. I sometimes fail at this, but I sometimes succeed. The story of life, yes? The promise of death gives life it’s poignancy, and an awareness of the meaning of time and the importance of compassion.  This belief challenges me to focus on what I have now, not what I might have in the future. I hope everyone is happy in heaven, but I wish to be happy here, now.