I had a near fatal accident at the age of thirteen. I had the misfortune of being electrocuted while knee-deep in an irrigation ditch. I can tell you the “life flash” is a real experience. After I passed out, I was under water for about four minutes. Since then I have had several other close calls and brushes with death.
There have been the deaths of friends. I lost a classmate in fifth grade and another in High School.
When I was twenty-one, –my first wife, Jenny, died from a fall. Two years later I lost my oldest brother, Johnny, who died from Agent Orange poisoning–he was twenty-eight. Although my parents lived long and productive lives, we all enter a new chapter when they move on. And while I was writing this book four more of my siblings died.
I have never doubted life continues on the other side, yet my interests have been increasingly focused as my life has progressed–not so much on the question of death but on the answers to life. Death is but a door, a brief barrier, beyond which life persists.
In order to answer the questions we all have about life and death, I used a healthy God concept, common sense, revelation (auto and written), and historical wisdom [see the Bibliography & the Quotes Appendix].
I will not claim an angel sat on my shoulder while I wrote but some ideas beyond my imagination were surprising and welcome gifts. Angels have our best interests in mind and are working with us. When we have a good question they can direct our thoughts to a suitable answer, if we give them permission and pay attention. I thank them now and will enjoy doing so again when I see them on the other side.