Entradas
Around the world after dying
I’ve always thought about what happens when we scatter a little of ourselves
across the Earth. I have had my hair cut in Tokyo, have clipped my nails in
Norway, watched my blood flow from a wound halfway up a mountain in France. In
my first book, “The Archives of Hell” (which has never been reprinted), I
speculated about this, as if we felt we had to sow a little of our own body in
various parts of the world, so that in a future life, something would be
familiar to us. I recently read in the French newspaper Le Figaro, an article by
Guy Barret about a true story which took place in 2001, when someone took this
idea to its final conclusion.
Who managed to do it? Vera Anderson, who spent her entire life in the town of
Medford, Oregon. In old age, she was the victim of a cardiovascular accident
made worse by emphysema of the lungs, forcing her to spend years in her room
connected to a balloon of oxygen. As if all this wasn’t enough of a burden,
Vera’s case was even more cruel, because she had always dreamed of going round
the world, and had saved up in order to do so in retirement.
Vera managed to be transferred to Colorado, so that she might spend her
remaining days in the company of her son, Ross. There, before making her final
journey – the one none of us return from – she took a decision. Since she would
never get to know even her own country, she would travel after she died.
Ross went to the local notary office and registered her mother’s will: when
she died, she wished to be cremated. So far, nothing unusual. But the will went
on: her ashes were to be placed in 241 little bags, which were to be sent to the
chiefs of the mail services in 50 American states, and each of the 191 countries
in the world – so that at least part of her body would end up visiting the
places she always dreamed about.
As soon as Vera departed, Ross fulfilled her last wish with the dignity one
would expect of a son.
Each parcel carried an accompanying letter asking for
a laying to rest worthy of her mother.
All the people who received Vera Anderson’s ashes respectfully obeyed Ross’s
wish.
Thus, Vera’s ashes were scattered on Lake Titicaca, in Bolivia, following the
ancient traditions of the Aymara Indians; on the river outside the royal palace
in Stockholm; on the banks of Choo Praya, in Thailand; at a Shinto temple in
Japan; on the icecaps of Antarctica; in the Sahara desert. The brothers of a
charitable orphanage in South America (the article doesn’t say which country)
prayed for a week before casting the ashes in the garden – and they then decided
that Vera Anderson should be considered a type of guardian angel of that
place.
Ross Anderson received photos from the five continents, from all races and
cultures, showing men and women honoring his mother’s last wish.
When we see
such a divided world as today’s, and think no one could care less about each
other, this last journey of Vera Anderson fills us with hope, knowing that
respect, love and generosity still dwell in the souls of our fellow men and
women, however distant they may be.
Para muchos este tipo de costumbres es raro pero... a medida que los tiempos van pasando lo vamos viendo como muy natural y aunque también hay quien diga que no es mas que una extravagancia, los tiempos nos están colocando casi en la posibilidad de enviar nuestros huesos al mismísimo carrizo... total que si sirve para alegrarle los últimos días a un espécimen terrestre, caramba, darle vuelo y dejarlo ir como quiera... que Dios le bendiga y reconforte a quienes se quedan acá aguantando la guachafita...
El articulo lo tomé del Blog de Paulo Coelho del día de hoy 10/04/13. Gracias.
Esperando la reimpresión del libro mencionado.
El 14 de
abril el régimen de fuerza encabezado por el títere del extinto dictador Hugo
Chávez, consumó lo que numerosos expertos habían anunciado con antelación: Un
fraude masivo en el que se contabilizaron, entre otras insanias, los “votos” de
muchos venezolanos que habían muerto hace largo tiempo y que, en algunos falsos
documentos de identidad, aparecían como personas vivas con edades superiores a
los 120 años de edad.