The Reunion

Recently there was a celebration related to NASA’s 2021 landing on planet Mars by the newest rover called Perseverance. “Percy” as the rover is affectionately called, landed in Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021 after a nearly 300 million mile journey lasting more than six months. After viewing the rover’s newest pictures I was reminded of Matt Damon’s movie entitled, The Martian. 

I have viewed this movie before but somehow my recent viewing brought out some thoughts I had not entertained before. If you have never seen the movie then I do not want to spoil it for you except to say that when we are faced with seemingly impossible situations during our earthly journey finding ways to continue our course to reach our destination is very important. Those who accompany us on this adventure are also on a journey. How we treat our companions will either assist or detract from their experience.

My reflection in this entry will hopefully hold up the idea that in spite of the dangers we encounter on this planet earth spaceship, as I have heard many times during my life, “… the earth is not our home, we’re just passing through,” may indicate that the earth is not where we began. If that is true then it behooves us to perhaps open up the thought possibilities that our physical existence is just that, physical. But our spiritual existence may be much more than physical. In other words, we are not a physical being having a spiritual experience but rather we are spiritual beings having a physical experience. 

There are a number of people expressing their doubts that once we experience death of the physical body then we simply go into oblivion. I recently heard an account of a physician claiming to be an atheist dying on the operating table due to too much blood loss while giving birth to her third child. What she describes in her out of body experience was not anticipated. She indicates that what she encountered was pure love and this love energy drew her toward a new awareness that this love was all knowing and all encompassing. She indicated that this love energy was consciousness and that she was known by this overwhelming love and it was home.

If you have ever experienced separation from the familiar, then you know how difficult it can be to find a path through grief due to loss. There are lots of stories where people have come in contact with situations whereby they encountered distress and panic only to be severed from loved ones and familiar places that gave a sense of calm and security. Some of these stories have very sad endings but some of them include an ending whereby the separated are reunited with family and friends. We witness such stories today with COVID-19 survivors. 

There is one scene in The Martian movie where a bold rescue is attempted. If it is successful then all will be well. If not, then what was hoped for will be dashed. As I viewed this scene it occurred to me that as space travelers on planet earth, we will one day leave this spaceship for a reunion like none other. The physician mentioned earlier, who is no longer an atheist by the way, offers each of us a sense of hope in what lies ahead. Here’s a thought. We have become familiar with our global spaceship. But what if this planet is here for the express purpose of providing a place for teaching us the difference between good and evil allowing us the opportunity to discover love from whence we came. 

The day will come when upon our departure we too will be drawn back into this love energy. What we will take with us from this place are all the experiences we have had on our present global spaceship whether good, bad or indifferent so we will better understand the difference between good and evil. The most amazing thought to me is that we will know even as we are known and the Love from whence we came will guide us in the spirit of truth, mercy and compassion. So much like the NASA rover we need to “persevere” as we journey through space seeking to discover the love that is already within us. The reunion we will experience after our physical journey is complete is both Life and Light. So take heart my fellow travelers, you are worth more than you know.