WXY 4

¹“Dad, what happens when we die?” ²“That’s not an easy question, my child.” ³“Death scares me.” ⁴“Oh, of course it does. ⁵Death, decay and rot, maybe even depression and darkness, yes, it goes by many names, but it’s scary indeed, because we are alive, and it is the barrier we cannot cross. ⁶And once it consumes us, we will cease to exist, me and you, as physical beings, and I would say I’m quite confident in that.” ⁷“So do you fear death, dad?” ⁸“No, not really. ⁹I am quite familiar with it, actually. ¹⁰I face it every day. ¹¹As do you, but you might not see it yet, my child. ¹²But don’t be afraid, just keep faith. ¹³Death is around us, me and you, and you must be strong, for it is behind you, but you must be humble, in the face of it.” ¹⁴“I hope I can understand it someday, I really do.” ¹⁵“Yes, me too. ¹⁶But don’t seek death either, my child, because it’s easier to find than you might expect. ¹⁷And you can’t defeat death, I know it’s sad, but you must learn how to live with it.” ¹⁸“But what if I die today? ¹⁹What if I go to hell? ²⁰The thought scares me.” ²¹“Oh, hell is scary, indeed. ²²But I’ve been there, and lived, if you can believe it. ²³Many have been to hell.” ²⁴“How did you get there? ²⁵Do bad people go to hell?” ²⁶“I’m not sure, to be honest. ²⁷Many die there, and others are born there, but most wander there aimlessly, seeking refuge, or out of curiosity, or by accident, and they get stuck, like I did, long before you were here. ²⁸It might be hard for you to understand, my child, but hell can be comfortable, you see. ²⁹And there is only one way out, straight through, through the flames and the agony and the darkness. ³⁰So if you find yourself there, do not have shame, stand proud, for you are strong. ³¹But please, my child, don’t hide in hell. ³²There is nothing to do but keep moving, and keep moving forward.”