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in a way that is not perhaps possible in some other ways. Perfect as the movement of
ourselves can be through the realms, yet the movement of such a large object as a boat,
simply and easily, magnifies the wonder of the whole of spirit life. Our host explained that
this was only his own point of view, and was not to be taken as an axiom. His enthusiasm
was increased by his enthusiasm for the water and a love of ships.
We noticed that he guided the boat in the usual manner, with a rudder
operated by the wheel in the deck-house. That, he said, was because he found it sufficient
work to provide the movement of the boat. In time, if he wished, he could combine the two
actions in one. But he much preferred to use the old method of steering by hand as it gave
him physical work to do, which was in itself, such a pleasure. Once having given motion to
the ship, he could forget about it until he wished to stop. And the mere wishing to stop,
however suddenly or gradually, brought the vessel to a standstill. There was no fear of
accidents! They do not cannot exist in these realms.
All the while our host was explaining these matters to Ruth and me
Edwin was busily engaged in conversation with our host s wife our speed had increased to
a steady rate, and we were moving in the direction of one of the islands. The yacht was
traveling through the sea with the most perfect, steady motion. There was no vibration,
naturally, from any machinery, but the very movement through the water could be
perceptibly felt, while the sounds from the gentle waves as the boat cut along made loveliest
musical notes and harmonies as the many colors of disturbed water changed their tints and
blends. We observed in our wake the water quickly settled into its former state, leaving no
appearance of our having passed through it. Our host handled his craft skillfully, and by
increasing or diminishing its speed could create, by the different degree of movement of the
water the most striking alternations of color and musical sound, brilliant scintillations of the
sea showing how alive it was. It responded to the boat s every movement as though they
were complete unison as indeed they were.
Ruth was simply ecstatic in her enjoyment, and ran to our host s wife in
the full ardor of her new experience. The latter, who fully appreciated her young friend s
feelings, was just as enthusiastic. Although it was no novelty, in the sense of a first
experience, she said she could never cease to marvel, however familiar she should become
with her ship-home, at the glorious dispensation that provided such beauties and pleasures
for dwellers in spirit lands.
We had by now approached sufficiently near to the island be able to view
it quite well, and the boat turned in her course and followed the coast-line. After continuing
along in this fashion for a little while, we sailed into a small bay which formed a picturesque
natural harbor.
The island certainly came up to our expectations in its scenic beauty.
There were not many dwellings upon it; those that were to be seen were more summer-
houses than anything else. But the great feature of the place was the number of trees, none of
them very tall, but all were of particularly vigorous growth. And in branches we could see
scores of the most wonderful birds, whose plumage presented a riot of color. Some of the
birds were flying about, others the larger variety were walking majestically along the
ground. But all of them were unafraid of us. They walked with us as we strolled along, and
when we held up our hands, some small bird would be sure to perch upon our fingers. They
seemed to know us, to know that any harm coming to them was an utter impossibility. They
did not require to make a constant search for food nor exercise a perpetual vigilance against
what on earth would be their natural enemies. They were, like ourselves, part of the eternal
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world of spirit, enjoying in their way, as we do in ours, their eternal life. Their very existence
there was just another of those thousands of things that are given to us for our delight.
The birds which had the most gorgeous plumage were evidently of the
kind that live in the tropical parts of the earth-plane, and which are never seen by the eye of
man until he comes to the spirit world. By the perfect adjustment of temperature they were
able to live in comfort with those of less spectacular appearance. And all the while they were
singing and twittering in a symphony of sound. It was never wearying, in spite of the
quantity of sound that was going on, because in some extraordinary fashion the musical
sounds blended with each other. Neither were they piercing in quality despite the fact that
many of the small birds songs were themselves high-pitched. But it was their trusting
friendliness that was so delightful by comparison with the earthly birds, whose life there
takes them into another world almost. Here we were part of the same free world, and the
understanding between the birds and ourselves was reciprocal. When we spoke to them we
felt that they knew just what we were saying, and in some subtle way we seemed to know
just what their thoughts were. To call to any particular bird meant that that bird understood,
and it came to us.
Our friends, of course, had encountered all this before, but to Ruth and me
it was a new and very wonderful experience. And the thought came to me that had I really
considered the matter, and perhaps used my mind a little more, I might have known that we
should eventually see something of this sort. For why, I asked myself, should the Great
Father of Heaven create all the beautiful birds solely for the earth-plane? and make them to
live in places that are frequently quite inaccessible to man, where he can never see them and
enjoy them? And even those that he can see and enjoy, are they to perish for ever? Would the
far greater world of spirit be denied the beautiful things that are given to the earth world?
Here was the answer before and around us. It is in the conceit and sell-importance of man
that he should think that beauty is expressly created for his pleasure while on earth. Incarnate
man thinks he has the monopoly of beauty. When be becomes discarnate he eventually
wakes up to the fact that he has never really seen how great beauty can be, and he becomes
silent and humble, perhaps for the first time in his life! It is a salutary lesson, the awakening
in spirit, believe me, my dear friend with many a shock to accompany it.
The perfect blaze of color from all the birds we could see about us was
almost too much for us to take in at one visit. They were beyond description, and I shall not
even attempt it. We strolled on through delightful groves past the musical murmuring of the
many brooks, through glades of velvet grass, as in an absolute fairyland of nature. We met
people on the way, who called a greeting to us, or waved their hands. They were all happy
among the birds. We were told that this part of the island was exclusive to the birds, and that
no other form of animal life intruded upon them. Not that there was any fear or danger that
they would come to harm, because that would be impossible, but because the birds were
happier with their own kind.
We eventually returned to the boat, and put to sea again. We were
interested to discover whence our host had acquired his floating home. Such an intricate
piece of building would require experts, most surely, to plan it, and others to build it. He told
us that a boat was evolved under precisely the same conditions as our spirit houses, or any
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| Cytat |
Dobre pomysły nie mają przeszłości, mają tylko przyszłość. Robert Mallet
De minimis - o najmniejszych rzeczach.
Dobroć jest ważniejsza niż mądrość, a uznanie tej prawdy to pierwszy krok do mądrości. Theodore Isaac Rubin
Dobro to tylko to, co szlachetne, zło to tylko to, co haniebne.
Dla człowieka nie tylko świat otaczający jest zagadką; jest on nią sam dla siebie. I z obu tajemnic bardziej dręczącą wydaje się ta druga. Antoni Kępiński (1918-1972)
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