A Cosmic Death

When you die...

When you die, your soul stays behind - on the floor where you’ve suffered a massive heart attack. It remains so that your wife and daughter and all those who love you can mourn. Your cosmic core separates from your soul and rises, because what use would your family have of the carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms that comprise you? A white model S Tesla pulls up next to you. A small bit of code embedded in your DNA instructs you to climb inside the vehicle. It is fully autonomous and you need not lift a finger. It plays “Amazing Grace” which immediately sets you at ease.

The Tesla accelerates from 0 to 60 in 2.7 seconds without making a sound. It races down your street and pins your back against the black leather seat. You experience lift off and look out the window and notice the roof of your house below, where your soul rests. You locate the hospital and marvel at how only two miles separated you from survival. You spot the tall glass high rise where your wife works and the elementary school where your daughter is probably playing tether ball with her friends.

The Tesla achieves escape velocity at seven miles per second and pulls away from Earth’s atmosphere. The sun disappears in the rear view mirror. You are surrounded by darkness, illuminated only by the glint of distant stars. You travel a million miles in what seems like a flutter of a heart beat. The Tesla pulls to a stop. The door opens and you know to step out. You take the leap of Faith and of course, you do not fall. You stand upon the shoulders of the cosmos and you wait.

Your Creator appears. A giant halo hovers above His head like the rings of Saturn. White comet tails converge to form long wavy locks of hair. Galaxies collide to form a sequined fabric interwoven with colorful gasses and shimmering stars. It drapes over His shoulders like a robe. Your Creator is even more majestic and beautiful than you imagined.

You stand before His altar and say:

“I graduated valedictorian from high school and magna cum laude from Harvard with a degree in business. I married my high school sweetheart and we have a daughter. I go to Sunday mass without fail. I have donated my vast wealth to multiple charities.”

As you list your earthly accomplishments, your Creator’s smile widens to reveal a light cast by an explosion of supernovas. You are buoyant with the confidence that you are virtually assured a place in His kingdom.

When you are finished, you wait for Judgement. You wait and wait but nothing happens. So you ask the question, “why did my soul stay behind?”

The smile on your Creator’s face dissolves. The diamonds in His eyes darken into black holes. He opens his robe and wields a giant sword forged from the heat of a thousand Suns. He wields it above you and lets it fall upon your head in a thunderous flash. You shatter into seven octillion pieces of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon.

You hurtle through space, traveling close to the speed of light. You discover distant galaxies and dance in the cosmic swirl of dust and dark matter. Some of you may even hitch a ride on the back of an asteroid. An unlucky few will travel too close to a black hole and succumb to its death grip. You will experience a kind of horror where nothing escapes to bear witness.

Without the distraction of a soul, you experience a cosmic truth. The universe obeys laws, not commandments. Randomness and entropy are the guiding forces, not divine will. Some of you will understand, but for the rest, you will have all of eternity.

.“The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.” --Neil deGrasse Tyson