While we are in the Waiting Room, let us eavesdrop on a conversation between a soul and god. My daughter brought this to my attention, to ponder.
Awessum Frankie gives a transcript of the above conversation with God.
Atom: So, we waiting for what?
God: Excuse me?
Atom: So you sittin here telling me, this place is a waiting room, right? What are we waiting for?
God: Rebirth
Atom: Rebirth? Like reincarnation?
God: If that's what you wanna call it
Atom: What the .... you mean, “If that's what I wanna call it?” Either this is what it is, or this is what it ain't
God: Sure
Atom: Chu mean? Ugh, this .....
Atom: A'ight, lemme get this straight: every time I die, I come here, we talk, and you send me back to earth to be reborn?
God: You know the last time we had this conversation it was in mandarin and you were 13
Atom: Mandarin?
God: And a girl
Atom: What? Nah, bruh, you ...... wit' me. Like, Jesus Christ
God: He was here too
Atom: What? Wait, wait, so the Christians got it right?
God: Well I’m about to reincarnate you, Atom. I’d say everyone kinda got it right
Atom: This is a whole lot to take in
God: I know. Trust me, I’ve been there
Atom: So, how many times have I been reincarnated?
God: Many, many, many, many, many times
Atom: If it’s so many times, why don’t I remember?
God: If we stayed here long enough, the lives you have lived, and the knowledge from each of them would return
Atom: What?
God: I’m actually about to send you back to 1736 as Bryan Fairfax, the 8th lord Fairfax of Cameron
Atom: Word, ayy, that sounds important
God: Oh, yes. You own 40,000 acres
Atom: Goddamn! Oh, I’m sorry
God: Ha, it's quite alright
Atom: Well, at least I’m not poor no more
God: Well, sure. With all that land and the hundreds of slaves you’ll own
Atom: Slaves?! Aw, hell nah! No, no, no, no, look, look, look: how you gonna take a black man, send him back in time, and now I gotta own slaves?
God: Well, if it's any consolation, your son Tom, the 9th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, sets them free
Atom: No! That does not make me feel better at all. Wait, hold up, I just realized you said you’re gonna send me back in time?
God: Well, I’m not really sending you back in time. That doesn’t exist where I come from, only in your universe
Atom: Well, where are you from?
God: Honestly, Atom, even if I explained where I came from, or told you about the others like me, you just wouldn’t understand
Atom: But if there's others like you, how can you be god?
God: Atom, I said you wouldn’t understand
Atom: So what's the point of doing all this?
God: Really?
Atom: What?
God: A little cliche, don’t you think? Essentially asking me the meaning of life
Atom: Well, I figured I would ask before you send me back and I can’t remember none of this
God: Atom, come here. The meaning of life, the reason I created this place, is so that you can grow and mature
Atom: Like the human race? Like this is how the human race is supposed to grow and mature? Mature into what? We can’t even get along
God: No, Atom, you! It’s for you, you to mature
Atom: I don't understand
God: I created this place for you, Atom. This entire place was made for you. Every time I send you back, every life you live, you grow and mature and understand the grand meaning behind all of this just a little more each time
Atom: Just me? Wait, what about everybody else?
God: Atom, there is no one else
Atom: I don't understand
God: Atom, you are every human being who has ever existed since the dawn of your kind on earth
Atom: Wait, I'm everyone?!
God: Ah yes, now you are beginning to see it
Atom: So I’m like, everyone that ever existed on Earth, ever?
God: Earth? Ha, that’s cute. Earth was just your birthplace. Let us not forget all the stars humanity will colonize over the millennia
Atom: Wait, that is so much. Too much to take in. I’m every human being that ever lived?
God: Or ever will live, yes
Atom: I’m Jesus?
God: And all of his disciples
Atom: I’m Hitler?
God: And the millions he murdered
Atom: That's deep
God: You see Atom, every act of hatred and violence you committed against another, you were committing against yourself and every act of love and hand of kindness, you also extended unto yourself
Atom: God, why do all this?
God: Someday, long from now, you will become like me. You will mature to become what I am
Atom: I’m a god?
God: No, not yet. You see, I was once where you stand right now. It is not until you have lived every human life inside of your universe that I may take you from this place. Once you have walked in the shoes of every race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, loving and hateful person, it is only then that you will understand how precious life truly is