Question: “The hardest thing about the idea of rebirth for me is the fact that my relationships with people I am close to just… vanish. They’re no longer really relevant. That gives me so much anxiety, because I love my boyfriend and my family so much, it’s hard to think about losing them and starting fresh with new people if I’m reborn as a new human. I know it’s silly, but do you have any advice?”
Tell me one thing that will not die, end, vanish, get destroyed, or crumble to the ground? Nothing in the world is ever permanent, not even our own Earth will last forever. Everything will eventually end. Things will last around for hundreds or thousands of years, but eventually it will not exist.
Buddhism tries to teach us to detach from impermanent things. Why? Because when their life span (whatever thing or person it may be) ends, we end up being sad, angry and depressed – and we don’t want that. So we study and practice Buddhism to help ourselves realize that fact. Once we fully accept impermanence, of people and things, we will have so much more peace in our lives.
It’s a scary and sad feeling to have to think of our friends and family dying and not being with us anymore, but when we or they die, you can’t go together – you can’t take your loved ones and possessions with you.
To understand and accept things as they are is to realize peace.
Smile and be well!