Background Checking : Becoming More & More Popular
The long term troubles that an office can potentially incur due to a trivial thing such as negligence (in determining the true history of an employee) is truly alarming. To begin with, the current function being carried out could be a major issue but more importantly, the firm’s reputation could be so damaged that it would take years to repair it, this in turn could have the impact of severely affecting the revenue generation capabilities of the organization.
All of the problems incurred could have been prevented only if a simple background check had been carried out before staff with questionable histories were hired in the first place.
There are various processes that can be included in the various background checks which are carried out but in summary : During a background check, employment and character references are checked. Other forms of background checking processes go into education verification and related areas.
There are other types of checking which are used by some firms and that leads them on to being very thorough in the level of detail that they go into. Everything really all depends on the sensitivity of the job and how much responsibility will be on the shoulders of the new employee. When all the checks come back positively, then the candidate is truly considered, otherwise they are not considered for further interviews and others are sought after.
You might think that the process of having to check people to learn about their history is not so critical a matter for the company. But you’d be surprised what good it could do you. Sure, there are those who are very sensitive about their privacy, but that is only unfortunate. The law calls for it, common sense calls for it; you need to investigate the people you employ. It’s all about playing safe and being on the right side of the law.
Banks and big businesses aren’t the only ones who need to do background checks. Even small businesses, two-man partnerships and sole proprietorship in particular have to make sure that they are not bringing in someone who will bring down the whole enterprise. A little research on each applicant for a job position can settle all that.
Online background checking is one form of investigation that is fast becoming popular. It is as good as the traditional means of investigation. In fact, it is better because one can access information without much waste of time.
It is ideal and sometimes makes sense to run background checks on oneself occasionally. This is to avoid taking chances as our personal details may have changed without our knowing. Presently, employers use it as a measure to employing applicants. The sectors that are most concerned are banking, health, children, education and security.
The process where mothers carry out investigation on an intended nanny they intend hiring uses a similar process to the one used by the larger companies. The basic thing mothers seek to know about nannies is their criminal history. This is to save their children from any form of assault.
Free websites most times do not offer in-depth information when conducting background check. The premium services are better. This is because they are more detailed and accurate.
For more information, visit http://www.backgroundchecks101.info/
Technology; Vital To Our Lives
Today technology is integral to the lives we lead. We take for granted so many pieces of technology; none more so than the microchip that has completely revolutionised the world and the way we carry out our lives. For people of past generations it would be considerably difficult to understand and comprehend the society we live in today. This is why staying abreast of technological developments and new stories relating to technology is an advisable course of action, even for those who do not have a great interest in technological developments; a passing interest in technology news is helpful.
Technology in the modern world leaves no part of our lives untouched. News stories on the subject can help us to prepare for changes and developments that we would not foresee. One such instance of the importance of technology news is the current drive towards awareness of the digital television revolution. If viewers were not suitably informed of the developments in this process it would be difficult for them to prepare for it. In the same vein, news stories that inform of us of ways technology is making our lives more environmentally friendly can help us do our bit for the planet.
The most memorable technology news programme in the UK was the BBC’s ‘Tomorrow’s World’. Running for over thirty years it brought us many stories that were technology related. For many it was an event just to sit down and watch the programme as a family; sadly today it is not running in its old format due to dwindling viewing figures at the turn of the last century. The news stories it brought us about various pieces of technology however were truly groundbreaking; devices such as the personal stereo, the digital watch and the camcorder were all first aired on ‘Tomorrow’s World’, items that are all commonly used today.
The internet seems to have taken the mantle as the UK’s favourite way to access technology news stories. It has given thousands of people the chance to voice their opinions about certain pieces of technology and put in writing theories of how they expect the technological world to develop. While in the beginning this may have been just geeks and techno-junkies producing the articles, it has turned into an industry full of news corporations that specialise in technology news stories.
Today it is quite clear that we live in a computer age. Computers are so intertwined with society that is hard to imagine how the world would function without them. The reliance upon technology makes news on technological issues even more pronounced; knowing how secure the equipment is that keeps our society running means we can predict future problems.
Technology does not just cover gadgets and gismos however, with the diverse applications for pieces of technology there isn’t a sphere in life that is not in someway influenced by technological development. Medicine and even traffic control is heavily influenced by technology with development improving efficiency and in the case of medicine survival rates. All of these subjects are covered in tech news stories, not just the games consoles and mobile phones we all seem to have nowadays.
The importance of technology news is only set to continue. As society finds more and more ways to reduce labour and increase the use of equipment it is wholly understandable. Subsequently being abreast of technological developments can be considered vital in the world we live in today.
Cultural expert Thomas Pretty looks into the importance of technology news in staying abreast of technological developments.
Diamond Engagement Rings: Thinking Beyond The Four C’s
When looking at diamond engagement rings, there is more involved in choosing the perfect ring than just the four C’s. The ultimate ring will be one that is easy for her to wear and be of high quality. The design and aesthetics of the ideal ring will give it a feel and personality that harmonizes with those of your bride-to-be. The love and care put into choosing the ring will be effortlessly reflected into her eyes.
Practicality of Diamond Engagement Rings
The practicality of diamond engagement rings is perhaps the most important factor in choosing the right ring. It will not matter how expensive it is or what it looks like. If she cannot wear it, she will not be able to enjoy it. This does not mean that designs that are more elaborate are out of the question.
Think about everything the bride-to-be does in her daily life. If she is employed as an accounting clerk for instance, she will be able to have more ornate and higher settings. On the other hand, if she works with children or at a job where her hands get dirty, she would be much happier with a lower setting and simple design. Otherwise, the ring catches on everything and attracts lots of hard to clean material.
Quality of Diamond Engagement Rings
The band or shank is the first part of the ring to examine. First, the band should not appear to have any bends, breaks or cracks. The material the band is made out of should also be taken into consideration. For example, since platinum has higher durability than gold, it is the better choice for someone who works in an office or factory. The other option is to choose a heavier band.
The setting is also responsible for determining the quality of diamond engagement rings. Prong settings should have no less than four well-constructed prongs (also called claws) with six prongs being the strongest. If the ring will have to take more of a beating, consider alternative settings such as a bar, end, or bezel setting. These settings use more metal around the stone in order to prevent the stone from falling out.
Design and Materials in Diamond Engagement Rings
The color and metal of the band can greatly influence the look and the price of an engagement ring. For instance, 9k gold takes more to bend than 18k, but it also does not look as nice as it ages. Eighteen-carat gold also lasts longer with everyday use. When considering platinum, titanium, and white gold, keep in mind that titanium takes more abuse, but it cannot be fixed or resized and its hardness limits your design options.
The number and color of the diamonds is largely determined by taste and cost. Depending on the design you choose, there can be almost any combination of stones and sizes to suit your needs. Does she like designs that are simpler such as a solitaire or single marquise cut or does she prefer flashier designs with several stones? In general, the color and size of the diamond along with the number of stones will largely determine the price.
Cut, color, and clarity are important, but they are not the only things she is looking at. The ring should be easy and comfortable for her to wear, but she also needs to be happy with the visual beauty of the ring. When you carefully consider her needs and preferences, choosing between diamond engagement rings becomes easy.
Christine O’Kelly is an author for The Trendz, a leading online retailer of fine quality gemstone jewelry and diamond engagement rings.
Understanding The History Behind The Chinese Zodiac Signs
Once upon a time there was the Jade King. He wanted to see a representation of earth’s animals so he sent out invitations for specific animals to come to his court. The rat was given two invitations, one for himself and one for the cat. The rat being the devious and clever sort decided not to give the cat his invitation.
The other 11 animals that were sent invitations showed up at court. The King wanted to know where the 12th animal was so a messenger was sent to earth to get one more animal. The pig was given the last invitation. These animals were, and still are, the representations of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs.
The 12 Chinese zodiac signs are the rat, ox, tiger, dragon, dog, pig, ram, goat, rabbit, snake, horse and monkey. The Chinese zodiac sign for each of these animals is representative of a certain year. The Chinese zodiac works on a twelve year rotation with 2008 being the year of the rat. This is serious business for true believers in the Chinese zodiac.
With zodiac signs there are many factors that people read up on everyday. They look for their daily horoscope to see what the day may hold for them in the way of financial decisions, details on how their day or month will go and even about compatible zodiac signs for their love interests.
Some people take these readings lightly, while others believe whole heartedly in what their readings say. Could it be a case of prognostication coming through because of the power of belief in the reading? With zodiac signs, there is a devout following in both China and the rest of the world.
The compatibility between the zodiac sign of an individual and that of a romantic interest is probably the most sought after information. People base their entire romantic decisions and mates based on zodiac sign compatibility. Many people pay for readings from such places as “Chinese Astrology” just to see how their romantic life will progress.
That poor cat did eventually show up, but alas, too late. All of the Chinese zodiac signs had already been assigned and his spot was given to the pig. The cycle had been set and he missed out on the opportunity just because of the tricky rat.
Maybe somewhere along the lines of history the cat got back at the rat; perhaps the cat put the rat in a hat, upon which he sat. Regardless, it still remains as something of interest, as far as mythological tales are concerned.
A free gift awaits you at our portal site, where you can enrich your knowledge further about the chinese zodiac signs. Your comment is much appreciated at our horoscopes blog.
How To Find And Purchase Cheap Designer Handbags
Locating cheap designer handbags is something most girls are looking for and since they are called “designer handbags” or “fashion handbags” makes it cumbersome because of the many offers that are out there for both cheap designer handbags that are authentic and cheap designer handbags that are actually in the fake designer handbags category.
This has become both easier and actually harder as well with the help of the Internet. Easy because of the wealth of offers and harder because of the wealth of offers. Do a search and you can find and compare prices on thousands of websites that sells cheap designer handbags.
In locating cheap designer handbags one must be cautious before purchasing or bidding for handbags since there are literally thousands of fake designer handbags advertised. Cheap designer handbags does not necessary mean that they are fake designer handbags but determining if a designer handbag is authentic you need to research this which depends of the brand of the designer handbag. Is it Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada or even some other fashion handbag.
You can often purchase fake designer handbags for as little as $20 USD and anyone with some common sense would recognize that it’s not authentic at this price. The cost of authentic designer handbags can be anywhere from a few hundred US dollars up into a few thousand.
A great place to look compare authentic designer handbags versus fake designer handbags is the manufacturer web site where you compare pictures of what you are buying to the original. Fashion handbags such as Gucci or Fendi does have distinct designs in both colors, stitching and name, making it harder for the makers of fake designer handbags to copy it.
Due to the high cost of designer handbags, many people prefer to buy fake designer handbags because they do look very close like the real fashion handbag and can be bought on the Internet and local flea markets. If you want authentic and cheap designer handbags online auctions are a place to look for good deals since you will bid for the amount you are able to pay.
Auctions have search functionality but keep in mind it is important just how you search. Search for cheap designer handbags or “cheap designer handbags” inside of quotes can give you different results. Try it using different words such as Gucci handbags versus “Gucci handbags” fashion handbags versus “fashion handbags” and you will see which method gives you the most accurate results.
Always check seller feedback before bidding for designer handbags before bidding since not all designer handbags sellers has a good reputation. Another good resource is good old Google. Typing in cheap designer handbags in double quotes will in addition to getting you the most accurate results also return results from multiple manufacturers such as Gucci, Prada, Fendi and Louis Vuitton.
Whatever your budget is and what you decide to do, make sure to do your research before purchasing any cheap designer handbags since many countries prohibits the sale of them if they are fake designer handbags.
If you are looking for Cheap Designer Handbags or Fashion Handbags your search is over. Visit Fashion-Handbags for all of your accessory needs.
Another Cool Place in Austin : Austin Texas Children’s Museum
With 7,000 square feet of interactive and educational permanent exhibits, inventive traveling features, story-times and public events, this public museum serves as a hub of Austin’s family community.
Upon entering, kids are delighted to board a scaled down Austin Metro bus. Sitting in the driver’s seat or holding a strap in the passenger section, this exhibit is planned to distract the kiddos as the adult pays admission and learns about the day’s events. Other permanent exhibits include the dairy cow, an oversized milk-cow statue with a looping video about dairy farming, with a doll-house sized barn and toy cows to play with. The Rising Star Ranch provides a varied sensory experience especially designed for the under-two set, while the Tinkerer’s Workshop allows older kids to experience creating their own structures by inventing, designing, building and testing their ideas.
This being Austin, music is emphasized in the amazing Austin Kiddie Limits. Fun for all ages (including adults), this room is a kid-oriented interactive version of the acclaimed live music television show Austin City Limits. With toy instruments, cowboy hats and other costume pieces, a stage and a video monitor, kids can play along with their favorite Austin musicians including Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Miss Lavelle White, Asleep at the Wheel, Kelly Willis, Flaco Jimenez, and Toni Price. Kids can see themselves on the video monitor, making it a real rock-star experience.
Their program offerings include something for every age group. Baby Bloomers is a weekly opportunity for kids under three to explore the entire facility with only toddlers and their caregivers in the museum. Discovery Time offers daily, hands-on activities that enhance the permanent and changing exhibits. Storytime, held in their large foyer, is offered for different age groups, and often includes music making, bubble blowing, and other interactive elements.
Gallery programs include the popular Wednesday Community Night, featuring different performances, storytelling, music and activities, and Science Sundays, featuring hands-on activities led by real honest-to-goodness scientists. Checkout the Childbloom guitar program for a cacophonous and hilarious take on combining story telling with accompaniment by the kids, or the Austin Keyboard Orchestra program to learn how to build and play an instrument.
Located in downtown Austin the Austin Children’s Museum is centrally located for people in different areas of the city. It is also located close to other Austin attractions like Zilker Park the bat bridge so that visitors can see a number of fun Austin attractions in an afternoon.
The Austin Children’s Museum offers camps during the summer and spring break, for ages 4 to 10. They offer seasonal programs including the popular Gingerbread House workshop in December. The facilities are available for birthday (and other kids of) parties, including sleep-over parties. Special events can also be held on the premises.
With a stated goal to help Austin’s kids and families become more creative, more inventive, and more competent, the Austin Children’s museum combines fun and education in a world-class facility.
Ki lives in Austin and enjoys the local music scene. He works as a realtor in the Austin real estate market. He also regularly writes on his blog about updates on Austin Texas real estate. His site features a graphical search of the Ausin MLS.
Flare Bottom Pants: Easy And Stylish
Finding your style has never been easier than when you trust flare bottom pants for your own wardrobe. There are numerous professions as well as other reasons to choose these styles for your own. There are few designs as popular. Once upon a time, we all had bell-bottom jeans, now there are flare bottom pants offering a middle ground for those that like a bit of extra leg room. Regardless of your profession, chances are good you will find there is something for you.
There are so many designs; you will enjoy simply looking at the possibilities. Take a lot at these examples of flare bottom pants you will find perfect for professional or casual experiences.
There is the four pocket flare bottom pants perfect for use as medical scrubs or as part of a uniform. These have two tradition slash pockets and added back pockets to insure you lots of room to move. There is a drawstring closure wrapping around the waist instead of just a partial closure. The elastic insures a great fit for more personal experiences. The soft cotton feel and the bright look offers a unique experience for any wardrobe.
These come in tradition sizes from XS to 2XL, and you will find lengths such as petite, regular or tall. Even choose colors such as black, bayleaf, or aspen blue just to name a few.
Another example is the cuff elastic flare bottom pants. These are so hip and cool you will love them! The hip flip elastic makes it a perfect fit each time, and there are two slash pockets in the front with a welt style back pocket. The flash leg cuff is hemmed to perfection with a nice even design for optimal performance. These come in sizes form XS to XL and colors ranging from black, pink, true red or more.
For another optimal look and feel take a look at these grommet drawstring flare bottom pants. These are an amazing design specifically designed for those looking for more. This is a great design made by a superior designer. The drawstring waist coupled with flare legs make this a perfect choice for professionals who demand the best. Nothing too complicated but the benefits are definitely exceptional. Wear these with your favorite scrub top or even a lab coat or jacket.
Finally, you will discover that even the younger generation needs these classy and sassy designs. The girls flare bottom pants are perfect for the young lady between sizes 7 and 20 needing either a regular fit or a slim fit. These are a polyester cotton blend weighing in at a hefty 7.5 ounces. The fade resistant feature makes these perfect for the young lady, and the stain release finish make them easy to launder and care for. In addition, the wrinkle resistant fabric means you do a lot less ironing. Choose the colors you appreciate, and with no exterior logo, you will have a perfect accompaniment for any dress code.
Choosing flare bottom pants for your own or for someone you cherish is a good, old fashioned decision when you demand the best in comfort and style.
Max Johnson of The Uniform Connection click for Scrubs. Click for more Flare Bottom Pants.
Pleated Front Pants: Why You Can Expect More!
Choosing pleated front pants is a professional and stylish choice. There are numerous types and styles of the trousers for your choosing, and designers such as Dickies, and Red Kap promote these high quality pieces of apparel for men, women, or children. When choosing your own preferred styles, you will discover you have the options you need and want without an enormous price tag that will turn you away. Yes, you can save money while getting that professional look you need.
With so many high quality and superior choices, investigating your options will provide you with a perfect purchase. No more struggling with unwanted or unneeded styles. Take a look at these examples of pleated pants on the market today by the designers you trust.
Dickies manufacture cargo pants that are perfectly suited to your professional or casual needs because of the pleated front. The bottom leg opening is a common 19 inches, and the cargo jeans have copious numbers of pockets for you to choose from. This is made of reliable and easily washed 100% cotton for optimal effect and usage. This is a comfortable and reliable pair of cargo trousers with the belt loops and button waist you prefer. Even the back pockets have a button closure.
Choose from colors such as khaki, black, charcoal, or navy blue. You will also get to choose a waist ranging from 29 inches to 48 inches and an inseam ranging from 20 to 24.
Another popular type of pleated pant is seen with the adult sized styles. These are heavy duty professional trousers perfect for the office of the next wedding you attend. You get the popular pockets you need with the perfected design offering hefty and reliable belt loops and the pleats you need for easy to care for garments. But what else would you expect from Williamson-Dickies? Nothing but the best of course!
Finalize your decision with a choice of colors including dark navy or khaki, and choose a waist size ranging from 28 inches to 42 inches and an inseam ranging from 30 inches to 34 inches. Of course, these are super easy to hem if you need to hem the inseam shorter.
Of course, it is not only the men that need pleated pants. Boys and teens will benefit from these for their educational needs. Boy’s pleated front pants will be perfect for any school environment because there is no exterior logo, and the hook and eye closure are super easy to use. This weighs in at a hefty 7.75 ounces, and you will love the reinforced stress points such as the knees. Get the wrinkle resistance and fade resistance you need for that perfect to care for design, and there are pockets enough to please any young man regardless of age.
When it comes to boy’s pleated front pants, you will find that you get a choice of sizes appropriate for your young man. In addition, these come in colors such as black, hunter green, or even khaki.
Deciding on your own pleated front pants is a good commonsense decision sure to please everyone.
Max Johnson of The Uniform Connection click for Work Clothes. Click for more Pleated Front Pants.
Mortgage Interest Rates: Up Up And Away
Up up and away. Mortgage interest rates continue on their upward trajectory. 30 Year mortgage rates went from 6.32 to 6.42. 15 year notes rose from 5.93 to 6.02 and 5 year arms rose almost 20 basis point going from 5.7 to 5.89. 1 Year arms rose this week from 5.09 to 5.19. But unlike the other mortgage products (which are higher) 1 Year Arms remain about where they were a month ago. As we have talked about for the last several months since the FED is no longer cutting rates we can expected rates to rise throughout the summer. The only question is when they will stop rising and start stabilizing. Below is the rates for the last month.
June 19,2008
30-yr 6.42 15-yr 6.02 5-yr ARM 5.89 1-yr ARM 5.19
June 12,2008
30-yr 6.32 15-yr 5.93 5-yr ARM 5.70 1-yr ARM 5.09
June 5,2008
30-yr 6.09 15-yr 5.65 5-yr ARM 5.51 1-yr ARM 5.06
May 29,2008
30-yr 6.08 15-yr 5.66 5-yr ARM 5.62 1-yr ARM 5.22
May 22,2008
30-yr 5.98 15-yr 5.55 5-yr ARM 5.61 1-yr ARM 5.24
May 15, 2008
30-yr 6.01 15-yr 5.60 5-yr ARM 5.57 1-yr ARM 5.18
Using our free mortgage calculator lets see how the increasing rates have changed the payment on a 200k loan.
June 19th
30-yr $1253.63
15-yr $1689.87
5-yr ARM $1184.99
1-yr ARM $1096.98
May 15th
30-yr $1196.53
15-yr $1639.47
5-yr ARM $1149.41
1-yr ARM $1103.16
Mortgage payments on most of the mortgage products went up quite a bit over the last month. Looking at a 30 year note the mortgage on a 200k loan has increased $57.10 or about 4.8 percent in a little over a month. In fact the only mortgage product to fall is the 1 Year Arm ($6.18 or about 0.5 percent). Why banks would want to push ARM which is the very loan product that caused all the problems in the first place is anyones guess. Although I typically avoid ARMs the cost savings on a 1 or 5 Year ARM is hard to ignore. That said I would only look at ARMs if you think their is a reasonable chance you will sell your property in that time frame. The general expectation is that rates should be higher and not lower in a few years.
So the question remains where are rates going to be in the next month. While I was fairly confident that rates would rise this month I am not as sure what will happen in a month. If the FED continues to avoid anymore rate cuts I would expect to see mortgage rates at about the same level or higher. Banks have been dealing with massive losses from foolish bets on subprime loans and are looking to make up for these losses through higher mortgage rates.
Another change occuring with loans is a limit on the number of investment properties an individual can recieve a loan on. It looks like most banks are limiting the number of investment property loans per individual to 4. This should obviously have a negative effect on investment properties. I also expect to see more cash offers from investors looking to pick up properties at currently depressed prices.
Personally I think this rule is a little bit foolish. I would make more sense to limit loans based on some networth to total loan amount ratio. For instance if someone has 2 million in the bank it seems reasonable to allow them to buy 5 duplexes for 180k. But if the banks were well run they probably would not be swimming in subprime debt right now.
Ki is real estate agent in Austin Texas. He runs a website covering the ins and out of Austin real estate along with providing a free search of the free mortgage calculator and information on mortgage interest rates.
Manslaughter - Guilty by Definition
After over 13 years working a nurse I had witnessed some weird and wonderful things. Occasionally, one of them stands out as significant. Back in ‘97-’98 I went to Australia with a one year working visa. During this time I worked for nurse agencies in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. The experience was a good one as I was able to see how another health care system worked.
During this period a stack of interesting experiences occurred for me, though the most significant happened in Sydney. What happened here would alter my perception of life and what nursing was all about.
Working as an Agency nurse in a city usually means working at several different hospitals, in several different wards. This had been my experience after 11 months in Australia.
For some reason I’d been allocated several consecutive night shifts on a rehabilitation ward, in a private hospital. Since this ward was generally quiet for most of the night I usually brought a book along with me to pass the time.
To find my next book I went into a second-hand bookshop, went to the New Age section, stood back and waited for a book to grab my attention. One soon did - The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. I picked it up and started to read it that night.
The opening chapters explain, amongst other things, that the main difference towards death in the East and the West is that in the East people are generally prepared for death from a very young age. The West has a general theme that we don’t usually face up to death until it’s staring us in the face.
This resonated with me. How true. I had seen it on numerous occasions - scared patients and hysterical families attempting to make sense of the impending demise of a loved one after being given a death sentence by a doctor.
I thought about this a lot during the next couple of nights.
During my time on this rehabilitation ward I got to know the patients quite well. Each night I would stop in and have a chat with each of them, handing out the assorted pharmaceutical delights, which they had become accustomed to.
One of my patients was a lady called Dorothy. She had fallen over at home several months ago. She had no medical history, just a case of bad luck. She had a lovely smile and a most pleasant demeanour.
After about eight shifts on this ward I went in one night to be informed that Dorothy would be going home the next day. I entered her room last that night so that I could have a longer chat with her, beyond the cursory 5 minutes that we usually spent together.
‘Congratulations. You must be delighted,’ I told Dorothy, as I walked into the room.
‘Huh! Delighted? What possible reason would I have to be delighted?’ Dorothy was unusually curt in her response.
‘I don’t understand. Are you not happy to be going home?’ I asked.
‘What have I got to be happy about. I live on my own and I can barely make it from the bed to the toilet. I’m dependant on someone else to do my washing, cleaning, shopping and cooking. I can’t ask my daughter to look after me - she has enough on her plate. She has two young children and a very demanding job. I have absolutely nothing to look forward to.’
Upon hearing this from this sweet, usually smiling, old lady I found myself momentarily speechless. I had not expected that from her. My mind went blank.
After a prolonged pause I asked her, ‘Do you believe in life after death?’
Then it was Dorothy who paused, before looking me in the eye and saying, ‘Well, I’d like to but I just don’t know.’
This prompted a discussion about life after death and some various perspectives that I’d come across at that stage. We talked for well over an hour and a half. I mentioned the Dalai Lama being reincarnated several times and that this was fact according to millions of Buddhists across the world. I’d also heard about a Native American Indian ritual whereby people knew they were about to die and sat around a fire and gave all of their worldly belongings away. This was their way of cutting the ties with this world and moving on to the next.
I had not thought about death too much before - but given the choice between life after death and no life after death - I knew which one I preferred the sound of. Despite this, I wasn’t sure either way.
At the end of our chat Dorothy grabbed my arm and her face lit up. ‘Thank you Adam, this has been the most useful conversation that I’ve ever had.’
Her words touched me, though I thought little of it at the time. She had been experiencing anxiety and I had said something to alleviate it. I’d done this numerous times before. I wasn’t really sure about what I’d told her but she seemed happy enough, so my job was done.
I looked in her room before leaving the next morning but Dorothy was sound asleep, so I left the ward and went home.
That night I went back into the same ward. As I arrived, there were doctors running down the ward and into the room that Dorothy had been in. I wondered what was going on, as she should have been discharged. I slowly made my way to the room and Dorothy was flat on the floor and the crash team were attempting to resuscitate her.
I went numb at the door as I witnessed the futile attempts of the crash team to resuscitate her and the subsequent disbelief of the entire ward staff. Dorothy had no medical history - this was out of the blue. I’d been responsible for the death of Dorothy and I was the only one that knew it.
After I had watched the resuscitation team in action and gone numb, I felt a resounding peacefulness permeate my body. Had Dorothy waited for my return to die?
I’ll never know this for sure. What I do know is that any doubts about whether there is life after death were eradicated for me that day. For all of the books that I had ever read on or around the subject, nothing had ever, or indeed has ever, come close to what happened on that ward during those two nights.
I dedicate this article to Dorothy and thank her for the gift of hope beyond doubt that she has given me.
Adam Shaw is a traveller, writer and Health Consultant. He has spent most of his life developing skills in working with energy, people and dynamic, personal insight techniques. He now runs insight workshops to teach this knowledge to others. http://www.advancedserendipity.com
