Realizations that are hard to understand

by Keith Burkholder

It is said that the mind will stop producing when one dies.  This was not the case for Connor Stevens when he died.  The opposite was true for him in this case.

                At the time of his burial, he was pronounced dead in a total way.  His mind was done functioning, and his vital signs did not exist anymore.  However, once he was buried in the ground, he came back to life like a human would.

                This is an idea that would be hard to grasp, but he did come back to life.  This is an amazing phenomenon as well.  Reincarnation is hard to fathom but it happened to Connor.

                The concept behind this whole experience is that Connor will never be noticed.  Dogs can only notice him.  Dogs have a keen sight that will allow them to see Connor.  This sounds bizarre, but the only loyal friend Connor had when he was alive was his German shepherd, Rusty.

                Connor is happy to only attract dogs now that he will reincarnate back to life.  He could relate to dogs because he loved how loyal they are to their owners. Dogs can be smart as well.  If they are trained properly, they can be great to be around and can-do certain tricks as well. Connor has now come back to life and is noticed by no one.  He can still communicate with dogs in this life, however.

Connor always liked how loyal dogs can be.  They would never turn on their owner if the dog had respect for him.  Dogs like to be loved and respect their owners.

                Dogs are easy to understand.  They do not ask for much but enjoy the company of their owner a lot.  This is a reality for a dog.

                Connor noticed this with his dogs before he died.  He noticed how they would listen and respect him as well.  This made him happy inside.

                Connor always loved the way dogs respected people.  The only time he saw a dog act out was if it was in a bad home.

                Connor never understood why certain people had dogs.  Dogs are living beings that need to be loved to feel part of a family.

                Connor is away from his burial area.  He is walking around the area and will continue to explore the world as he knows.

                Again, no one can see him except for dogs.  Dogs will become a lot friendlier with his presence around them and other human beings.

                Connor is out of his coffin and walking around the planet.  He wonders what he will see today when he walks around.

                Connor is back in his hometown and enjoys the world around him.  No one can see him, and he will not get bothered this way.

Connor loves to live life in this new way.  Dogs can only know him.  The dogs can see him, and he can pet them.

                Dogs will be attracted to him and never harm him.  Even dogs that can be vicious would never harm him as well.

                Connor loves to be with dogs because they are easier to understand than humans.  Humans love to cause conflict in the world.  Animals can show unconditional love to their owner.

                Dogs love to be taken care of properly.  They always remain loyal to their owners if they are really loved and cared for.

                Connor respects dogs because of the loyalty they possess to people.  This is just something that really makes him feel good.

                Connor had a dog when he was alive.  He had French bulldog, and he really loved that dog.  The dog was responsive to the love he showed him.

                Connor always took that dog for a walk around the block where he lived.  The dog loved to walk and get fresh air.

                His French bulldog never gave him a tough time.  He was intelligent and believed that his owner was the best one in the world.

                Connor misses his dog a lot.  However, at least he can attract dogs while alive in this second life.  He feels great about this.

Connor loves the fact that he can do what he wants around people.  This feeling of empowerment is special to him.

                Connor will do what he wants to know.  He feels the need to do this and really loves the fact that he is alone now.

                No one can see him obviously and this does not bother him.  He feels grateful for this and will lead his life the best way he knows possible.

                Connor will now leave the cemetery and see the town that is nearby.  This town is large in stature.

                Again, no one will be able to see him.  Only dogs will be able to smell and see his presence.  This is just the way he likes it.

                Connor has now left the cemetery and is walking on the street nearby here.  He will continue to walk toward the town nearby.

                He feels great about walking alone this way.  He is happy to be here in town and just be on his own now.

                Connor has no idea where he wants to go to.  He just wants to do what he wants to know because of this second chance in life.

                Connor loves the fact that he is in a safe town.  He has nothing to worry about and will just walk to get to a destination somewhere.

Connor is still walking to reach town.  He loves the fact that he can hear the birds chirp and loves the color of the leaves in the trees.

                He loves being alone while walking to town.  This makes him feel great inside and more confident with his life in general.

                Connor has never felt this free before.  He has no job to go to, or a wife that he needs to make happy every day.

                Connor cannot believe how great the world feels to him now.  He just keeps walking and takes in life every step of the way.

                Connor keeps walking and can see a dog ahead.  The dog is alone but walks right up to Connor.  The dog can see Connor clearly.

                Connor pets the dog for a little while then the dog leaves him.  The dog can see his owner and runs to him.

                Connor cannot believe how friendly dogs are around him.  He loves the fact that the dog that approached him could have easily torn him to shreds.

                The dog that did approach him was a Rottweiler.  However, the dog was friendly and nice towards him.

                Connor has a calming effect on dogs.  He can really make one happy and just pet a dog for hours.  This is just the way he is toward dogs in general.

Dogs can be trained to love and admire humans.  They can learn quickly, and this is a great trait they possess.

                Connor keeps walking along and is eventually in the town nearby.  He is at the town’s limits and continues his trek forward.

                He loves to be outside and get fresh air.  Death is not something he likes to think about, but he has now avoided death and is still here to see the world around him.

                Connor can feel the wind blowing through his hair outside as he walks.  This feels great to him.

                He feels that he is part of life here in this town.  However, no one notices him as he walks down the street to go further in this town.

                Connor loves the fact that he is not noticed in town.  He just loves the idea of going anywhere and not being noticed.

                Connor wants to live this life the best that he can.  He feels great about such changes and believes that life will get better the longer he remains here on planet Earth.

                What will Connor see now that he is in this town?  This is a question he thinks about when he walks into this town.

                Connor is amazed to see so many people here.  He is amazed that the people are friendly and caring to one another.

Connor thinks he will go to a bar to have a drink.  He can easily get a drink there because no would notice him getting a beer.

                Connor loves draft beer.  He just loves to see the foam go to the top of the beer and drink it in that state.

                Connor finds a nice, safe bar to have a drink at.  He is eager to have a draft and just sit back and just be alone.

                Connor decides to get a Coors draft.  He is eager to sit back and just think about life and what he will do next today.

                Connor gets himself a draft.  No one notices him get the beer.  He is all alone now and just wanting to sit and relax.

                Connor can see people come and go out of this bar.  He loves to see the people here and he loves the idea of just having a beer.

                Connor is sitting back now having his beer.  He is sitting at the bar and no notices him drinking.  He just loves being here alone.

                There is no stress to converse with anyone.  He also loves the fact that he can take his time while drinking this beer.

                Connor is a huge fan of beer.  When he was alive in his first life, he loved to drink beer daily.  He never drank beer.  He just loves to have a can of beer each day.

Connor never married so he never really had to worry about someone telling him not to have a beer each day.  He just enjoyed his carefree life as a bachelor.

                There are more patrons coming into this bar.  Connor takes notice but does not care.  No one can see him drinking his beer.

                The patrons here talk amongst each other.  There is a lot of conversation that is taking place now that did not happen before.

                Connor may get another draft when he is finished with this one.  No one knows about his presence and never will.

                Connor does not care about not being seen.  He just loves the fact that he can go anywhere and not be spotted at all.

                Connor will stay at this bar for a little while longer.  He just likes being here and just minding his own business.

                There is no one who is worthwhile to really see.  He just likes to be here and just relaxed and have a few beers.

                Connor continues to drink his beer.  He wonders where to go next after he leaves this bar and restaurant.

                Connor wants to explore more of this town.  This would be really appealing to him in so many ways.

Connor is invisible and will now leave this bar.  He wants to get away and just be away from people now.

                Connor loves his time alone and it feels great for him to be invisible.  He just loves what he is doing right now.

                Connor will now explore this town even further.  He hopes to encounter different people, but he will never be noticed.

                Dogs will again only notice Connor.  Dogs will be able to see him and know about his whereabouts. Dogs are keen in this sense. Connor has nothing to worry about in such a situation as this. It will carry forward for him in ways that can make him satisfied. Dogs are animals that are brighter than humans give them credit for as well. Dogs exist as they do and can adapt to different situations that would baffle their human counterparts.

                Connor keeps going along in life right now.  What can he expect to see in the future while alive this way?

                That is the mystique of life.  No one can really tell what the future holds.  However, the future will continue to be endless for Connor.  I wish him well in all his endeavors and hopefully the future will continue to be bright for him as well.

BIO: Keith Burkholder has been published extensively. He has been published in such journals as New Delta Review and Scarlet Leaf Review. He has a BA in statistics with a minor in mathematics from SUNY at Buffalo (UB).