Reincarnation 3 (because it appears this is a recurring theme.)
The idea of reincarnation appeals though I have a simplistic view of it I fear. Considering that I have led a less than blameless life (and who among us can claim to have done otherwise? Saints in the corner cast off your veils, come out from under your bushels!) that is to say, a normal life, probably, full of the petty conceits and narcissism with which we are all afflicted (aren’t we? or is it just me?) I will not be reincarnated as something splendid. Not for me the joys of a privileged life if I return to this earth. In fact I doubt that I shall be as blessed as I am currently.
No, I shall be reborn as something lowly, like a doormat. In fact, I wrote about that some while ago. A doormat’s life can be quite interesting though being ground under the heel is not a particularly pleasant prospect.
However, if rebirth only occurs in animate objects then I think I shall come back as an earthworm - not pretty, not furry, but useful in the garden both as a worker and food for passing blackbirds. Note that I specify worms of the earth variety – I have no wish to be an intestinal worm but I suppose that’s not really up to me.
I should hate to return as a cockroach, universally loathed but a terrific survivor. Nor should I care to be a tick, forever destined to suck blood until bloated only to fall off the victim to fasten onto another once the blood has been digested and a sylph-like form has been regained. To come back as a member of the spider family – ticks are spiders, after all – would be too cruel. As much as I tell myself that spiders are useful I still cannot stop myself shuddering when big, black, hairy spiders scuttle across the floor and whoever mentioned ‘noiseless spiders’ has never heard the ones I’ve encountered.
Maybe I could return as an amoeba – an interesting little organism but mightily overlooked. I’ve always had a fondness for the humble amoeba as it is the only organism I have ever been able to draw with any vestige of realism.
So I suppose that really I’m only in favour of reincarnation on my terms and that’s not really what faith is all about, is it?
Maybe I’ll repost my earlier treatises on reincarnation . . . posts reborn, you might say.
Goodness me you must be having a bad moment or two. You think you will be some creepy creature? Not possible. How about a tall proud tree or an eagle? i don't know what woud you like to be? Clearly not a worm.
ReplyDeleteWell I don't believe in reincarnation, but the idea of coming back as cockroach is a nightmare. Now if you do indeed come back as an earthworm, remember if you get cut in two, there will be two of you. Imagine how many of you there could be if some little child should keep cutting the pieces of you in half! :)
ReplyDeleteI am not really a believer in reincarnation; but if I were to be reincarnated as anything other than human I would be a dog living in a home which would be a clone of my own, as I know I would be loved and cherished and fed and walked and have a darned good life for as long as I lived....
ReplyDeleteOne thing about reincarnation is you don't remember your past life, so it really doesn't matter what or who you come back as. True? I would suppose a worm or a tick are happy being what they are.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, I would hope to come back as something a little higher on the food chain that an earthworm. Of course life as an amoeba might not be bad but possibly a bit dull.
ReplyDeleteMe, I hoping for a tree squirrel or maybe a very pampered cat.
One evening, tucking the children up in bed, I found my son in floods of tears. I asked what was wrong,
ReplyDelete"I don't want grandad to come back as a pig." He sobbed.
My father (a Budhist) had been explaining reincarnation to my son that afternoon.
I'm not sure - is this life a reward or punishment for a past incarnation?
I think this stems from something which has always bugged me: a life after death doesn't make sense of this life, because you then have to go to find something to make sense of that life - and on and on...
ReplyDeleteI would like to go on record as saying that I am absolutely blameless! ha ha ha. Not so indeed! However, you seem like someone who would come back as an owl - very wise! Surely our mistakes do not sentence us to future lifetimes as creepy-crawlies - it's the learning that matters. I do believe in reincarnation, and I've come to take the more easter view that we come back to learn what we didn't quite get this time around and assuming we do better each time, then next time around will be better even.
ReplyDelete