Life Beyond Life

Life Beyond Life

By Sunil Varshneya

This is the story of my friend Peter. We met in the college. Peter was not attractive. He had a face only a mother could love. During lunch, he would sit alone in the corner of the cafeteria as it was said that if you want to lose your appetite, you sit with him. I could see him beyond his physical body and liked him. He was a well-aware human being and knew more about this world and human beings than anybody else in the college. I had a special connection with him and tried to be with him as much as possible. I always learned something new about this world in every meeting with him as he would share the essence of all the books and magazines he would read in the library.

Sandy was the most beautiful girl in our class. All the boys, including Peter, would do anything to be friends with her. Somehow I knew Peter was madly in love with her and would do anything to have her in his life. I feared he would hurt himself badly as his relationship with Sandy was impossible to manifest. I read books on relationships to convince him that his relationship with Sandy could never manifest. I told him, per my understanding, that relationships can be categorized into three types. The first type is based on physical attraction. Once the physical attraction fades away, the relationship dissolves. The second type is based on mental attraction and common viewpoints and goals. The moment the views and goals differ, the relationship dissolves. The third type is based on a spiritual connection beyond physical and mental attraction. This relationship is often found in stories and is beyond the impermanent nature of changing body and mind. Both parties must be aware of each other's humanity to have a spiritual connection. He cannot have a personal relationship but maybe a kind of friendship. Peter accepted my rationale that his personal relationship with Sandy could never manifest. But you know the logical mind can never convince the subconscious mind, and Peter never accepted it deep down.

On the graduation day, we had a group picture. Peter could not hide his happiness that he was in a group picture with Sandy. So we ended our college days, and I moved into a job almost 500 miles far. We often shared about our life and what we planned to do, but the meeting was rare.

Peter found a job as an editor. It was long hours, and he spent all his time at work, including weekends and holidays. However, it was fine with him as he had no friends or relationships.

A tragedy happened, and both parents of Peter died in a plane crash. He was the only child, and I flew to attend his parent’s funeral. I realized I was the only one at the funeral as he had no connection with other college friends. I talked with him but knew that he was very lonely. He still dreamt about Sandy and expected she would speak to him as she lived nearby. I tried to tell him to forget about her.

I married and invited all my college friends, including Peter and Sandy. It was fun, and our lives continued.

Two years later, I got a call from Peter that he was going to India for a year retreat in a Himalayan monastery. I knew that he was alone in this world and requested that we stay connected.

I got the news that he would stay one more year and had given up his job as he had inherited enough money from his parent’s death.

After spending two years in India, he returned and begged me to come and see him in the hospital. So, I went and saw him weak and fragile in the hospital bed. Yet somehow, he appeared very happy and had never seen him in that state.

I asked him. What happened?

He said, smiling that he was going to die. I asked why he would die and why he was so happy. 

He said that he had cancer and therefore he had gone to India at the monastery to understand about death. He said that based on all the meditation and wisdom in the monastery, he had realized that only the body dies, but the spirit continues in another dimension.

Also, this universe has a mystical invisible karmic law like Newton's law of cause and effect. The law is that what you do comes back to you if not in this life but in another life. So whatever karma we create in this life will be carried by the spirit into future lifetimes until a balance is achieved.

 He further said he had found a way to get Sandy into her next life.

I was stunned. I then asked him how he had found a way.

He said that he would do something so good for Sandy that a karmic bond would be created, and he will have a relationship with her in his next life.

I asked him what the plan was. He clarified that he would die in the next few days and give all his wealth, which was significant to Sandy as an anonymous admirer—this way, a karmic relationship would be created for the next life.

I could not say anything to him. I do not know the mystery of this universe or about, death and the spirit world or the invisible mystical karmic law.

Peter died. I was the only one at his funeral.

I got a call today from Sandy. She was inquiring about Peter. So I asked her why she would like to know about Peter.

She was crying. She said that someone had left her a significant amount of wealth, with a note that it was from a silent admirer.

She further said she was trying to find who this person was to change her life with this fortune.

I suddenly realized that deep down, we all know the truth about who loves us.

I suddenly remembered the love story movie "Bridges of Madison County." In the spirit world, love is easy to manifest where you are beyond the body's limitations and earthly entanglements.

I do not know anything about the reason for our birth and death and if there is reincarnation. But, deep down, I was happy that Peter did his best to find his dream love, if not in this life but maybe in the next life.