Life hereafter and NDE

My beautiful brother, Tom Geoffrey, who has changed my life about twenty years ago is changing my life once again. Twenty years ago, when he was a talented and brilliant student at the University of Chicago, he admitted to his three older sisters that he was gay. Coming from a strict Confucious and fundamental Christian family, the news was not taken well at the beginning. However, I knew my brother well and knew that being gay for him was not a matter of choice. He struggled with his sexual identity throughout high school because of his simmering love for God. At one time he wanted to dedicate his life in mission work. However, the subtle and not so subtle messages that he got from the church and those dearest to him were that being gay was a terrible sin and that he must change his ways if he wanted to be accepted by God as worthy.

Because I knew my brother, I knew that it wasn't his choice to be gay...he was born that way. I then plunged myself into Chicago gay community to educate myself about everything that has to do with being gay. I remember Anwar Sadat once said in an interview that "if a man could change the way of his thinking, he can change the very fabric of his life." Change in my thinking about gays profoundly changed my life in ways I never expected. Turning from a rigid, self-righteous, judgmental, and clueless fundamental Christian to a radically open-minded and aware individual that I've become is a miracle, thanks to my brother.

Now, after twenty years, Tom Geoffrey is changing my life again through his untimely death. This may sound strange, but I feel closer to him than ever. He sends me messages through signs big and small. On the day of his funeral the message I received in the form of a fortune cookie read:
"Miss you" (on the one side), then on the flip side it read:
"Toile awhile...endure a while...believe always, and never turn back."
I knew in an instant that it was not a coincidence, but it was a message from my brother.

I have been pouring over all the books written on and/or by those who've had near death experiences, as well as those books dealing with visitations and encounters with the loved ones from the other side. Not surprisingly, there's a wealth of information on these subjects available.

I'm married to a scientist and I have many friends who need empirical evidence about everything...so my answer to them is that we'll know when we get there. I've learned that once you are not afraid of death, then you can move forward with your plans in life without any other fears....

Well, thanks for listening and any thoughts or comments on the subject of NDE or related topics would be appreciated. Emma