Unexplained Near Death Experiences

 I have had five near death experiences in my life.  Not the kind I'm writing about today where I lost consciousness and drifted out of my body.  I never did that but at times I was hearing the fat lady humming a few bars.  The first close call happened during high school.  There were four passengers in my '71 VW Super Beetle.  There was a gas leak and the engine caught fire.  We put it out right away and I managed to seal up the gas line with a rag before getting back on the road.  Stupid, stupid, stupid move.  The engine caught fire again.  I shut off the ignition as we were headed over the double yellow line into oncoming traffic toward a cliff.  It was the first time I yelled out one of my most fervent prayers while trying to unlock the steering wheel before certain death.

Another time I was playing a repelling game on our mountain near our childhood home.  I reached the end of the rope while in midair and stumbled down the mountain.  Stupid, stupid, stupid.  Many of you know about the accident on ice nearly five years ago.  That was the closest near death experience although I never lost consciousness.  The fourth and fifth near death experiences are related to my next two books.  I can't tell you how many times I've tossed entire chapters into the trash.  The pandemic ended Wilson's travel experiences and stopped me dead in my tracks while "Live Long and Prosper" hit its own troubles.  It turns out that near death experiences in my personal life and my writing life will be featured in both books.  These experiences are fodder for my books.  What about unexplained near death experiences that others have?  Are they real?  Can they be explained?

In case you're wondering why I'm interested in this subject, I have a thought to share with you.  In my opinion, it's really challenging to write about living long and prospering when death is always in the shadows lurking.  Death is the elephant in the room.  I'm still trying to shake my own memories of near death from my mind especially when road conditions get nasty this time of year and my vehicle turns into a sled on wheels.  Perhaps there is some relief offered when I hear about what other people experience after they flatline.  Some argue that these encounters are merely a shutting down of the brain.  What can't be explained is when a blind person recalls with acute awareness various events that he or she witnessed while the brain was not functioning.  How can a blind person from birth who is dead see?  When these people are revived and they share their experiences and they can be verified, how does one explain that?  If you're asking me for answers, I don't have any.  All I can say is "Fascinating."  In human terms, I have one more word – "illogical."  That's all I have for today.  It's time to get ready for my day job.  File this story under the unexplained category and have a great day.  By the way, it's 32º outside and the roads are icy.  Yikes!