"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.". - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Teilhard de Chardin
GUIDA, a spunky spirit guide, floats up to HOPOLE, who sits in the center seat surrounded by circular-shaped screens on all sides.
GUIDA: So you ready to choose your next life, Hops?
Hopole rubs his hands together excitedly and floats his chair to the floating screen right in front of him.
HOPOLE: Which planet should I choose?
He uses his finger to select a solar system on the screen among a choice of galaxies and settles on the Milky Way.
GUIDA: How about the Pleiades? Wise, gentle, spiritually advanced creatures and your telepathic abilities will be kept in tact.
HOPOLE: Nah, I was thinking of somewhere more like... Mars.
A picture of Mars comes up on the screen.
GUIDA: So... you want to be an amoeba?
Guida laughs and Hopole shoots a look of annoyance her way.
GUIDA: Mars is still not ready for intelligent forms of life yet. We're struggling with the blueprints. But you could choose Earth.
Hopole sees visions of earthquakes, wars, tsunamis, hurricanes, forest fires and other man-made violence flash on the screen.
HOPOLE: You can't be serious. This is my respite lifetime we're talking about here. I want to enjoy myself for once. I can't believe you're even suggesting a hellhole like Earth. You're fired! I want a new guide assigned to me.
Guida chuckles.
GUIDA: Don't I wish? You don't listen to me anyway. Unfortunately, my contract with you doesn't end for another millennia. Besides, Earth is a very beautiful and tranquil place... on a good day... in a good era.
HOPOLE: I don't know. Don't really trust your guidance. I'm still reeling from that ant planet you sent me to... and that was eons ago.
GUIDA: Perhaps we should choose forgiveness as one of your spiritual lessons for this lifetime.
HOPOLE: No, no, no. Please, no. That's much too taxing. Since when do respite lifetimes involve forgiveness anyway?
GUIDA: True...
TO BE CONTINUED