Hi again everybody,
thanks for all the superb replies here and a most revealing thread.
Stone - please try to understand the points made here.
If someone dies early on in life its not something to be sad about. There may be many reasons for this. Anyone may choose pre-life to die early as a way of triggering a response in others to be reminded of the more important aspects of existence. The shock of losing a family member well 'before their time' may be an important life lesson.
For a while at least, those left behind may forget all the everyday nonsense that occupies their waking thoughts (who's winning the wrestling tournament, do I have this season's fashions, what's happening in the soap operas on TV) and turn to things of more substance and importance.
Take the case of 9/11 and the effect that it had apart from the politics. I'm maintaining that the folks who died in that may (and I stress may, as I don't know) have volunteered for that experience. It brought a lot of people together in their grief and would be a life experience that they'll never forget. In addition, there are documented reports of those who were trapped in the buildings using their mobiles to say farewell to their loved ones in the most loving ways. And there were the folks who should have been in the Twin Towers that day and weren't due to a variety of circumstances (not in their life plan, so they were 'conveniently' unable to get there that day... the missed train, the flat tire, the unexpected occurrence...)
That's one example.
In addition, I notice from the TV series Band of Brothers that the real guys in World War II who experienced the story described have a bond and love and closeness to each other as a result of their experiences that simply could not be gained in any other way so fast.
Supposedly a war is a very good teaching experience for those involved (-not that I would ever want to go through that -or maybe I have in a past incarnation?). Likewise, I'm sure that Vietnam (and Afghanistan) vets may share that same link through shared experiences and bonding.
Back to the point:
Now if someone dies early on in life and its not part of their life plan, then plan B kicks into action. Perhaps the person they would have married had they lived according to plan meets someone else from the soul group who steps in and fulfills the role originally intended up to the best part of their ability. In another lifetime, they'll, get together with that erstwhile partner and have the marriage that they should have had this time around (if you see what I mean).
On a less harrowing note, I was told in a spirit regression that I had a soul contract with an ex partner to be/work together for the rest of our lives. It didn't work out that way (free will rears its head) and my current wife has stepped in to fulfil the role this time around (plan B?).
That still doesn't stop me regretting that I didn't get the chance to achieve everything I wished to with my ex partner, but I believe that we'll get to do it all again next time around!
In your own case you state that you've adopted the attitude of observer in this life and had to let go of many of your desires. It could be that this is precisely what you chose this time around, and this stance of objective observation has given you a perspective that the folks around you can only guess at. Either way you've clearly progressed to an extraordinary degree.
And I'll point out that you may get to fulfil every one of your desires in another life?
I don't see the afterlife as an R&R place between lifetimes - more on the lines of going home after a day at school. You've learned the lessons (or not) of that day/life, and you get to do it all again and learn new things/correct the old things next day/incarnation.
And you decide not to incarnate again once you feel that you've learned all their is to learn and report back (rather like V'ger in the first Star Trek movie).
As Bob Monroe pointed out in his books, graduates of the Earth Life System have a lot of respect in the universe for all they have achieved, and that they maintained that everything they went through was worth it for the end result.
Hope you understand this,
Best wishes,
David.