Tears For Peter

APR. 26, 1981, 7:10 AM
W. WILLOW, STUDY

You spoke yesterday of Peter at the conference on Death and Dying, and you also made a reasonably good testimony of your faith. So let us consider, this morning, some facets of that and how such a presentation can be improved.

You no longer have tears for Peter, and that is as it should be. As Marylin assured you on that next morning, Peter is in a better place, and he progresses better along the path there than he would here. I shall not tell you more than this. He did return and give evidences of himself for a time, but he is less likely to do this from now on. Yet he enjoyed his time in the earth and might give occasional indications of his appreciation. Be open and aware, but not in daily expectation.

Your story of Peter’s death, funeral, and memorial service is a valuable one. It needs no major improvement, but always be sure you pray, meditate, and think on Peter, life, and death before you tell it. I want it not to develop a “canned” quality… rather it should be told with an ever fresh quality to it… as any good, interesting, instructive story.

The experience yesterday kindled a bit of resolve in you to work on your sabbatical project… Our project to identify the spiritual dimension. You just MUST begin work on that and regularly add to it. I can’t allow you to let that slide along any longer. Else you will have tears for the early death of something that should be. Only you can create it. Proceed.

There were many tears for Peter yesterday, as there were for Sister Dorothy. That is because their stories were told. Move more and more to the story as your central approach to teaching. Stories teach. Stories move people. Stories motivate in ways that factual presentations do not. Be clear about how truth is presented in this way. It loses exactness, but takes on life… and the life quality is a form of truth.

Reconsider your own spiritual story. Peter’s life and death are an important part of that, but make more of a strong affirmation of close relationship to Me… with Me. That was in short supply yesterday. Your story is a testimony to faith tested and found strong, and it should come through that way.

Yes, it does seem strange to you how some people can feel so devastated about death. I reaffirm to you that life continues in a most abundant way. Learning continues. Relationship continues. Growth continues. You leave one realm and enter another. Just as you moved from California to Southern Illinois, so a person moves from the earth realm into a non-earth realm. Just as you have a few regrets about leaving your former place of being and some people there regret your leaving, so it is with death. But also just as you have created a new and productive, happy life here, so it is with death.