I do believe in a "god" and here is why. I had a good friend that was much older than me. Actually i never knew my father as he died when i was very young. So you could say I had a fatherly friend.
"H" had retired after a hard life. He had been a prisoner of war on the Burma Railway, (was a mate of Weary Dunlop). After discharge he tried to get a soldier settlers grant for a farm. Apart from the army all he knew was farming. He was refused on medical grounds. Not to be defeated he got a job at a tyre retreading works and also worked a night shift as a hospital cleaner. He also took control of two sons who had been placed in an orphanage by his wife who had divorced him and remarried.
He continued working until he had saved enough to buy a farm for himself. He remarried, to a nurse that he had met while working at the hospital. And after a few more years had retired comfortably. By then both his sons had become bricklayers. That is how I met him as one of his boys was laying bricks for me and had told his father about my cattle stud. He wanted to look at the cattle, came out and visited. He told me he was at a loose end and wanted to come out and help with the cattle. I agreed and he started to work 5 half days a week. After the first week I had a job getting him to accept a pay packet.
A year later I bought a property inland. At first I used to go there for a day or two to fet it going. Fencing, cattle yards as it had been a sheep property, renovate a barn etc. It was winter, we only had basic furniture in the house, no TV. At night we sat around a roaring fire and chatted. I learnt a lot about his past, the concentration camp and farming. When I shifted there full time he used to come up and spend a week or two helping out. While at home he had a hobby of rebuilding sulkies and making cedar furniture. I used to often pass his place and call in to say hello.
On one trip I was running late with another 200 klms to go so I decided to miss that visit. I was driving through his town when my car suddenly stopped. It had stopped right outside the NRMA service station. I got the mechanic to take a look at it and his conclusion was that it was electrical so he towed me down the road to an auto electrician.
The auto electrician told me that it would be half an hour before he could look at the car and asked me if I could fill in the time. My answer was "no worries i have a mate that lives close so i would go and visit him. On knocking on the front door I was told that H was in holsital and not expected to live out the week. I offered to go and see him but was told that it would not be worthwhile as he was in and out of a come and had not recognised any of the family for some days.
I went back to my car where the auto electricial said the car was OK. He couldnt find anything wrong with it, he turned the key and it started straigh away. I took off and as i neared the turn off to the hospital I turned in without actually meaning to. I went in and was directed to the ward where he was. The nurse in charge told me that I could go in but he was in a coma and not responsive. I went in and saw this gaunt man lying back and unconsious. I though I'd give his hand a squeese as a way of saying goodbye. As I did it he looked up. Said hello and my name. Then followed it up with "There about to throw me over the fence. I've been thinking about you. When I get there I'll put togethed a heard of the best cattle I can find and few of your favourite horses and wait for you to join me."
We chatted for about half an hour about old times. finally the nurse came in and said his monitor was "going through the roof" and I would have to leave. I drove home. a few days later I was told he had passed on.
I drove that car for another 200,000 klms without incident.
Now you tell me that there is no divine being. Tell me you dont believe in Karma. You can tell me but you wont change my mind.
