Muppets in the Afterlife

Think there are any?

I watched Jon Stewart's interview with the author of Jim Henson's recently released biography and it started me thinking about Muppets, death, the afterlife, and all kinds of things. Jim Henson went to spirit a long time ago, longer ago than it seems. I remember hearing about it, and how he succumbed to "galloping pneumonia" in just three days. I was shocked. He seemed so young at 53 to die and leave so much undone.

Now I wonder. I look at his wonderful creations which have touched so many and taught important, caring lessons to the world's children, and how the Muppets live on. It's almost as if he's still alive, too. So maybe it was time for him to go back to spirit. Since our souls are eternal, who knows? He could have gone on to greater things by now.

It may seem silly to ponder these things. I ponder a lot of silly things these days, and lots of not-so-silly things, too. I was told, for instance that my mom's cancer wore out her body so that she went to spirit before she was finished here. So I wonder if that was true for Lyra, too. Intuition tells me no, she went when she was meant to.

I'm living with the idea that I, also, will go when I'm meant to. There is no assurance that I'm right about this, but I feel like it will only be a few years from now. It has been pointed out to me that paraplegics don't usually live extra-long lives. I actually know nothing about that. I know it drastically reduced lifespans a hundred or more years ago, but have never investigated current statistics. You'd think that would interest me.

It hasn't because, until fairly recently, I had been living with the assumption that eventually I would become overwhelmed by my misfortunes and what was actually a morass of self-pity, though I didn't see it like that the time, and would end up choosing the day and method of my demise.

 I no longer have that attitude. I assume that something, someday, will go wrong with my body and it will be ignored until it's too late to save me. I remind you, and should remind the authorities, that I have a living will that specifies Do Not Resuscitate on file here. Because dying doesn't scare me. It's not a bad thing, except for those who are left behind. I promise, with absolute certainty, that after I go to spirit, I will watch over my friends and loved ones and those who are open to it will feel my love surround them from time to time. Just call my name. I promise you, there will be no ghostly appearances, just the faint sensation of a gentle, loving hug.

But that won't happen for awhile. We have plenty of time to love and learn and laugh and explore and make a difference in each others' lives. And once we meet in the afterlife, that will only get better.

Love, peace, and joy, y'all.