Laurie’s Dream

Laurie was only eight years-old but was very lively and intelligent.

One day at school, he heard the teacher talk about the existence of the "soul" explaining that it is immortal and therefore existed before this life and would continue to exist after the death of the body. To sum up, the teacher, who was a Spiritist, completed:

- Sleep is a state very similar to death because the spirit detaches itself from the body and goes wherever it pleases. The difference is that, after sleep, we wake up every morning; and when the death of the material body occurs, the spirit no longer inhabits that body of flesh.

Laurie listened very carefully and got worried with his teacher's words. In fact, he did not quite understand how that could happen. He did not even know if he believed in "spirit."

- Do we really have a soul or a spirit? - he asked.

- We do not have a soul or spirit, Laurie. We are the spirit - replied the teacher.

Laurie was surprised. He had never heard anyone talk about that! So he returned home pensive and full of questions, and for the rest of the day he could not think of anything else.

At night he said a small prayer to Jesus, which his mother had taught him, and went to bed. It did not take too long before he was asleep.

Some time later, Laurie woke up. He was thirsty and got up to drink water.

He felt lighter and a great well being. As he looked at the bed, he was startled. He saw another Laurie sleeping there.

How could he be in two places at the same time?

He remembered then what his teacher had said.

- That’s cool! So this is my spiritual body and I am out of my physical body!

Finding the situation funny, he left the room and walked around the house. His parents were still awake and Laurie saw his mother knitting and his father reading a book in his favourite rocking chair.

He went to the kitchen to drink some water but could not hold the glass because his hand went through it and he was not able to grab it.

He saw his kitten Snookums purring in a corner of the kitchen and decided to play with him.

- Snookums! Snookums! - he called out.

The kitten woke up sleepily. Laurie approached him and ran his hands over the little animal who, bristling his hair, miaowed and ran to hide in the laundry room in the middle of a pile of clothes, as if afraid.

Laurie decided to leave Snookums in peace and return to his bedroom. As he passed by the living room, he saw Grandpa Carlos beside his mother. His grandfather, smiling, said:

- Take care of your mother for me, Laurie. Tell her I'm fine.

The boy, already sleepy, returned to his room and went back to sleep.

The next day, Laurie woke up early to go to school. He got ready and went to the kitchen where his mother had just fixed breakfast. They sat down. His mom said as she put coffee in a cup:

- That's weird! I do not know where your kitten is. Whenever we sit at the table for meals, Snookums always approaches to get some food. I've been up for hours and he has not shown up yet.

At that moment, Laurie remembered his dream and said:

- I know where he is.

He got up, went to the laundry room, opened the door, and Snookums came out stretching his body.

- How did you know he was there? - his father asked, curious.

Laurie told them the dream he had the night before which had his parents surprised. Then he continued:

- And there's more. Grandpa Carlos, who was in the room next to you, Mom, asked me to take care of you and tell you that he is very well.

Moved, the mother, whose father had died a few months before, exclaimed:

- But your grandfather Carlos is dead, honey!

- Well, I saw him very alive, Mom. And I did not even remember that he was already dead.

Laurie's parents could not hold their happiness and embraced, realising that something very grand had happened that night. They, who believed in nothing, now felt a new hope in their hearts, thanks to the dream of their son Laurie.

And the boy, with wide eyes, said:

- Who would have guessed that my teacher was right? Death does not exist!...

Aunt Celia

 

Translation:

Johnny Silveira - silveirajohnny@yahoo.com