This is for all of you animal lovers out there. That includes birds, insects and, well I don’t know about cockroaches. For me, the jury is still out on that one. But on a high note, I refuse to smush ’em. That’s my husband’s job. No cleats though.

Me: Are there animals there?

Erik: Yes. Insects, plants—

Me: Are they all ones who have died or can you create your own Chihuahua?

Erik: You don’t really manifest another life form. It’s pretty wild. You can tend to plants and animals, but you’re not an owner of them. You’re a companion, but you don’t have ownership. There are different breeds of plants and animals that no longer exist on Earth or that haven’t come to exist on Earth that are in this higher dimensional planes.

Me: Even T-Rex?

Erik: Yo-yo, dinosaur!

Jamie (to Erik, in mock frustration): Why? (To me) He says he’s going to follow me around all day and say, “Yo-yo, dinosaur.”

Me: Oh no!

Jamie: Better than apples!

Me: Yeah, I remember he did that.

Jamie shakes her head.

Erik: Yeah, anything that existed or is going to exist on Earth is here.

Me: Do you have to take care of dogs and cats and so on or can they survive on their own?

Erik: Yeah, they can survive on their own. Remember, this is not a place where we have those needs—like you need water, you need food, you need this. So, animals can tend to themselves and there’s a pure line of communication between the two of them. You can talk to the animal and the animal can call back. Again, when I’m talking about conversations it’s more from the heart. I didn’t realize how much that frustrates me until we had these interviews today.

Me (in a voice that’s like a mother talking to her baby): So you don’t have to meow like a kitty cat?

Erik: No, but I’m sure when you get here you’ll still do it anyway, Mom.

Me: I’m sure. There was another question I wanted to ask about animals, but I can’t remember it for the life of me. What was it Erik?

Erik: How people can be animals?

Of course we are, but I didn’t want to pull rank on the guy.

Me: Yeah, that’s right. We can be animals.

Erik: If there’s a life form, then a person can be a part of that life form. So they can be an animal, an insect, a plant.

Oh, Erik. An insect is an animal. You must have missed that lecture in biology class.

Me: Oh! I remember what I was going to say!

Erik: What?

Me: Do you have a particular animal companion? I mean, do you hang out with a dog, a cat, a snake or anything more than other animals?

Erik (to Jamie): My mom’s pairing me up with a snake!

Me: Uh oh. Sorry.

Erik: No, no. I don’t have any companions right now.

Me: What about my puppy dogs?

Erik: Well, you can have ‘em!

Me: No, I mean the ones who’ve passed away. All of the ones.

Erik: Well, I get to see nut head every now and then.

He’s referring to Peanut, our Chihuahua.

Jamie: Nut head?

Me: Aw. Peanut!

Jamie: Peanut.

Me (to Erik): Nut head. Erik!

Erik: We don’t hang out every day.

**********************

Dear Reader,

The journey on which you’re about to embark will take you through stories that are deeply personal and involves a relationship between a mother and her son.

As a physician raised by two atheists, I had no personal belief system about life after death. In a word, I was a confirmed skeptic. As my journey progressed, my mind opened. It is my sincerest hope that yours will open as well and that you will have a greater understanding of your own life and what’s to come ahead.

Although Erik sometimes paints a rosy picture of the afterlife, time and time again he stresses that suicide is not the answer to one’s problems. If you struggle, please understand that the information in my blog and my book is no substitute for professional help. Please click here for a list of resources for help when you find yourself considering taking your own life. Know that they are readily available when you feel that hopelessness and despair that many of us feel from time to time in our lives.

I refuse all donations and ad revenue on the blog. It is my dream to one day establish a nonprofit organization that delivers a variety of spiritual services for those who have lost loved ones to suicide and cannot afford that assistance on their own. It’s a mission of love, sacrifice, and dedication.

Love and light,

Elisa