“Here was buried

Thomas Jefferson,

Author of the Declaration of American Independence ,

Of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom,

And Father of the University of Virginia”

I wrote this epitaph for myself, before I died, because these were the accomplishments for which I wanted to be remembered. Today when visitors are at Monticello, they are told that it is significant that I chose these three accomplishments, rather than any of the government positions I held. But I think historians are missing a main point of my epitaph. I have heard several visitors say, as they stand at the graveyard reading my epitaph, “Why did he say ‘Here was buried’ rather than ‘Here is buried’ or ‘Here lies?’” Some might explain my use of “Here was buried” by saying I meant the actual placing into the ground, the process of burying my body. I chose my words carefully, for I believed at the time I wrote my epitaph that only my body would be buried on the mountain, not my soul, not my essence.

In 1823, I wrote a letter to my friend, Founder and former President John Adams. Mr. Adams was in his 80s already and I was nearly there myself. We both hoped to make it to July 4, 1826 , to help the country celebrate the 50th anniversary of the July 4, 1776, presentation of the Declaration of Independence. But knowing that our deaths could not be so many years away, I wrote him that I was content to submit to the will of God. I told Mr. Adams that, “I join you cordially, and wait His time and Will with more readiness than reluctance. May we meet there again, in Congress, with our ancient colleagues, and receive with them the seal of approbation ‘well done, good and faithful servants.’” I was saying to Adams that I expected that we Founders, most of whom had already died, would meet again, somewhere.

Mr. Adams and I did both make it to that 50^th anniversary day, July 4, 1826 , both of us dying on that very day. Moments before he died, he said clearly “Thomas Jefferson survives.” Without modern communications he had not known that I died at Monticello  a few hours before he died at his home “Peace field” in Massachusetts.  There was much speculation around the country about what might be the meaning of it all, both dying on such an auspicious day. He was right to say, “Thomas Jefferson survives,” for I did, and so did he, and so do all of us.

Where might people meet again after “death?” Perhaps in Heaven, or even in a hell of sorts? Is it also possible we meet again here on earth, in subsequent lifetimes? There is a great deal of research that has gone on about reincarnation. The person who has been the most dedicated and thorough scientific researcher is Dr. Ian Stevenson, M.D., who recently retired from 40 years of being a professor, researcher, and head of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Virginia Medical School. As a scientist, he carefully documented 3,000 cases of children who spontaneously remember verifiable details from past lives. These children remember precise names of former friends, family members, details of the former town and home, and a myriad of other details that seemingly could not be known except by someone who actually had that past life. Children begin as soon as they can talk, to give these details, which later are verified when their current family investigates, goes to a town they have never been to before, and confirms that their own child is giving accurate information. Often the “past’ family accepts the child as having been their deceased family member, sometimes with grace and sometimes with conflict developing.

Dr. Stevenson traveled for 40 years to India and other parts of the world to talk to the witnesses in these thousands of cases, and to investigate the validity of the details the children give. He concluded that in 1000 of the cases, the story told by the children is verified. He does not claim that these cases prove that reincarnation is a reality, for he is a scientist who presents his data, and lets the readers decide. Two of his books present some of his research, Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation, and Children Who Remember Previous Lives. There is also a book (Old Souls) written by Washington Post writer Tom Shroder, who traveled with Dr. Stevenson to Lebanon and India to report on Dr. Stevenson’s research techniques, and to interview some of the people who have these past life memories.

Why is it important for people to have knowledge of reincarnation? Will it facilitate reconciliation and peace if we know that we have lived other lives as someone of different color, the opposite sex, from another country, of a religion that we currently chastise as being false, from a different caste system? Does such knowledge help remove the fear of dying? Does this knowledge undermine the teachings of Christianity in our own country, and is it a threat to religious authorities who say that we only live one lifetime and then go hell or heaven? This they say despite even some Biblical scripture (Matthew 11:11 -15, Matthew 17:10 -13, and John 9:2) that supports reincarnation. If people find out that they come back in future lifetimes, and at that time they will see the consequences of their earlier decisions, will they feel empowered, or will they feel threatened by their own past?

It is particularly gratifying that Dr. Stevenson’s work has been done at the University of Virginia, the institution I fathered, and now his valuable research helps all of us to explore this important concept of reincarnation. Perhaps “Here was buried” will some day be proven to be true, for everyone, and perhaps this awareness will help bring peace to this troubled world.

                                                       Sincerely, Thomas Jefferson 

(as imagined/interpreted by Thomas Hansen, Ph.D., Charlottesville , VA   email:Thansen103@aol.com)