The first death in my family was my grandfather. I was sixteen at the time and I cared about nothing but books. My family believed in God, so they were able to assure themselves that my grandfather was now happy and healthy, in heaven with Jesus. As a teenager, I didn't believe in God and I was skeptical about an afterlife. I couldn't share their comforting beliefs.

Shortly after my grandfather's death, my 11th grade American Literature class was studying the poem "Thanatopsis" by William Cullen Bryant. This poem was all about comforting those who fear death. But it had no religious connotations and didn't mention God or Jesus or an afterlife at all. Yet it was filled with interesting points, such as when you die you are with kings and the "greats" of history, or you are part of the amazing landscape of nature. I appreciated the poem in the way I appreciated all literature, but I did not see how Bryant's philosophy concerning death was any more plausible than heaven, hell, reincarnation, or no life after death at all.

A month after the funeral, my grandmother came to visit for Thanksgiving. She brought with her some old belongings of my grandfather's. For my mom, she brought a stack of my grandfather's old books. My mom told me I could look through them if I liked. Carefully, I took one and opened it to a random page somewhere in the middle. And what do you know, the page I turned to contained the poem "Thanatopsis" by W. C. Bryant!

I don't believe that this was a coincidence. I believe that my grandfather was contacting me. He knew exactly how to reach me - through books - and he picked a poem that I would know and understand, and which presented death in a positive light. I think he saw how everyone else was finding comfort in their religion while I was doubtful and unsure. This was his way of comforting me, and of letting me know that he is all right, and that death is not so bad.

E. M. T.
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