This article belongs to Sweet Grace column.


   



 


Do you believe in reincarnation of souls and a new physical life on the Earth after your current life? Well, nearly 80% of our population in India do believe in the cycle of births and rebirths; and after a particular death, one would reach Heaven and merge with God Himself.  I know, no other country has accepted this theory. Nor do I personally, but I am fascinated at its concept.


 


Isn't it wonderful to think that you are the third grandson of William Shakespeare or the 125th granddaughter of Emperor Ashoka or possibly the seventh grand cousin of Abraham Lincoln or the brother of a genius who had won the greatest honor in physics?   Oh boy, what a heritage!  You can tom-tom about it to the rest of the world and perhaps derive some grand recognition as well.


 


But, it would be quite disgusting to know that you are the third generation son of a hard-core criminal grandfather who was hanged at 0230 hours one Wednesday morning some 100 years back.  You might cringe at the possibility of being a blood-sucking insect that got crushed between two fingers of a small little boy or a bed bug who was forced to breathe a repellant and died a premature death.


 


How wonderful it would be if someone could write out your identity in all your past lives.  But, pity it would remain a mystery so long as we are on this Earth.  Would God enlighten us about the various types of lives we had gone through?  Would one feel free to ask God for a flashback?  When you are in Heaven and enjoying the numerous blessings of Heaven, you wouldn't want to know a thing about your previous births and deaths and, therefore, may never venture to cross-examine God.


 


That's so far as your past life is concerned. What about the prospects of your future life? Here again, there is no method of ever getting to know what you are going to be after the death of your present life? 


 


But one could imagine or wish what you might be or could be.  Wouldn't it be a very consoling thought that you would be a genius standing first in every class right from school days if in your present  life you could never score a 2-digit mark in more than two subjects?  Or, wouldn't it be nice to know that you were destined to become a famous and rich man owning your own aircraft and a dozen limousines for travel on land?   Those of you who have never won any prize in any type of competition could be medal hoarders.  If you are a handicapped person now, you could possibly become an Olympic sportsperson returning home with half a dozen gold medals or if you are a blind person in this life but you are might be the healthiest human being with full eyesight?


 


It would be a Nobel prize idea if some scientist or possibly a religious head could evolve a formula to forecast what you would be in your next or third or 20th birth? The formula must be a foolproof one because some astrologer could manipulate it and make incorrect forecasts.


 


But I could tell you with full accuracy what you are going to be born as if you are an AIDS infected gentleman:  A skunk! Or, possibly a dangerous virus floating in the air.


 


Are you still eager to know what you would be assuming that there is something known as another life on this Earth? I think, it's better to be ignorant about it.  Or still a better alternative is to think that all of us live only once and therefore we need to live it honestly making use of all the talents we are born with.


 


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                                                                  Sweet grace [Israel Jayakaran]