Nothing particularly remarkable

You were not paying attention, when you died.

A car hit you as you were crossing the street.

Fatal.

It was a painless death.

You did not see it coming.

The medics tried their best to save you.

Your body has seen better days. Trust me.

And that is when you met me.

“What happened?” you asked. “Where am I?”

“You died.” I said, matter of factly.

No point in mincing words.

“There was a car. And the driver, like you, was not paying attention.”

“I... I died?”

“Yes.”

“But do not feel bad about it. Everyone dies.”

You, me, and nothingness.

“What is this place?” you asked. “Is this, the afterlife?”

“More or less.” I spoke.

“My kids...My wife...”

“What about them?”

“Will they be alright?”

"That's what I like to see," I said. “You just died, and your main concern is for your family.”

That is good stuff right there.

You looked at me with fascination.

To you, I just looked like some man.

"Don't worry," I said. “They'll be fine.”

“Your kids will remember you as, ‘perfect in every way.’

They didn't have time to grow contemptuous of you.

Your wife will cry on the outside.

But will be secretly relieved.

To be fair, your marriage was falling apart.

If it's any consolation, she'll feel very guilty for feeling relieved.”

“Oh...”

“So what happens now?”

“Ah... You will continue living.”

“What… How.. You just told me I died.”

“Walk with me.” I commanded.

You followed along as we strolled through the void.

“Where are we going?” you asked.

“No where in particular. It's just nice to walk.”

“So.. Will you answer my question.”

I stopped walking and took you by the shoulders.

“Your soul is more magnificent, beautiful, and gigantic than you can imagine.

A human mind can only contain a tiny fraction of what you are.

It is like sticking your finger in a glass of water.

You put a tiny part of yourself into the vessel, and when you bring it back out, you have gained all the experiences it had.

You've been a human for the last 48 years.

So you haven't stretched out yet and felt the rest of your immense consciousness.”

“I don’t understand” you said.

“It’s time for you to move one to your next life.”

“My next life?”

“Yes, This time around, you'll be a Japanese peasant boy in 540 A.D.”

“Wait... what? You are sending me back in time?”

“Well, technically time as you know it, is not entirely correct. Things are different where I come from.”

“Where you come from?”

“Yes, we all come from somewhere. And there are others like me. I know you'll want to know more, but you would not understand.”

"Oh..." You said, a little let down. “But wait... what's the point of it all?”

I looked you in the eye.

“The meaning of life, the reason I made this whole universe, is for you to mature.”

“You mean... mankind? You want to us to mature?”

“No, just you. I made this whole universe for you. With each new life you grow, mature, and become a larger and greater intellect.”

“Just me? What about everyone else?” you ask

“There is no one else, there's just you and me.” I replied.

You stared blankly at me.

“But all the people on Earth...” you started.

“All you. Different versions of you”

“Wait... I'm... everyone?”

“Now you're getting it”

“I'm every human being who ever lived?”

“Or who will ever live, yes.” I replied.

“So.. I’m Elon Musk.”

“And you're Donald Trump too. And you are millions more that have lived and died.”

“Am I Jesus?”

“And you're everyone who followed Him.”

You fell silent.

“Every time you met someone; you were meeting yourself.”

“Every time you victimized someone; you were victimizing yourself.”

“Every act of kindness you have done, you have done to yourself.”

“Every happy and sad moment ever experienced by any human was or will be experienced by you.”

You thought for a long time.

“Why? How? What is all this for? I don’t understand.”

“Someday you will become like me. I am you and you are me, it is who you are, it’s what we are. You are one of my kind.”

“You mean I'm a God?”

“Yes, and no, you are a work in progress. Once you've lived every human life throughout all time, you will have grown enough to be born.”

“So the whole universe...”

“Exist and at the same time it doesn’t.”

You shed a tear.

It's time for you to move on to your next life.

Now it’s me and nothingness until we meet again.