Hello Tau - I too had a few quiet moments when I finally caught up with Veritas' sad news. Such moments force us to face our own mortality. Apart from a cancer diagnosis I have only had course to twice experience the slow-motion replay that is our brain's way of helping us to choose certain actions to avert tragedy.
My first was on top of Thredbo while getting on a ski lift with my then 6 year old son. At the last moment he decided to duck under the bar that comes down to hold you in. Time slowed down to such an extent to let me evaluate whether I could hold onto his arm all the way down or fling caution to the wind and launch both of us in the direction of the rope net that was receding quite quickly. Managed OK, even to the extent of swinging him around in the air so he could land on top of me, whether it be in the net or on the rocks. Made the net, don't know how. Son was fine, I had hurt my ribs and was winded. Husband and other son had got into the chairlift in front of us and could only watch our heroics in horror. All's well that ends well.
The second time that time slowed was when my husband and I were confronted by a balaclava adorned tosser toting a shorn off shot gun. My normally mild mannered husband took exception to his request for all the cash in the till (hotel reception) and refused to give him any. I was closest to the gun and quite stridently pushed him aside and gave the guy everything except coin because I had noticed that his finger moved on the trigger when my husband said no. He wasn't happy because he clearly expected more cash but I explained that everyone pays with their credit cards. Off the guy went and off went my husband running after him through the courtyard. I was beyond getting any words out to stop him and hubby kept going until the guy actually fired the shotgun and to my husband's great surprise, yes, they were real bullets and yes, it was a real gun.
I have had at times thought about the after-life and spirituality but always pushed those thoughts away because I considered my mortality to be a long way off in the future. When my Mum died a couple of years ago, during covid, I wasn't able to get to her funeral and felt somewhat bereft and quite alone, unable to grieve with my family. I accepted this, what choice did I have, but was immeasurably sad. 2 nights after her funeral, I was woken in the middle of the night by a warm tingling in my chest followed by a caress from Mum and then she was gone. It was her goodbye and she stayed with me 'til I was ready to let her go. There is an afterlife, whether it be fleeting or long, I'm not sure, but she wasn't distressed and was filled with love. It wasn't a dream because I don't remember my dreams. Time to make a cup of tea - Michele x
